


Elvish Demigods

by kitkatkaylie



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Balrogs, Big bro Legolas, Crossover, Demigods, Demigods who are also elves, F/M, Giant Spiders, Middle Earth, Middle Earth is technicaly on earth, Prophecy, dont ask me how, it just is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 22:14:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 37,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14342058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitkatkaylie/pseuds/kitkatkaylie
Summary: When two mysterious girls arrive in Camp Half Blood the campers discover that the world is larger than they originally thought.My work from FanFiction.net crossposted over to here.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> My work cross posted from FanFiction.net, originally started in 2013.

Two girls struggled over the borders in the midst of the worst storm that had been seen since Typhon. They were dressed in once-white tunics and grey leggings. Their clothing was plastered in mud and on their backs they had packs made from wood and leather. Each of the girls carried a bow and quiver whilst the blonde also carried two long knives and the dark haired one carried a sword and shield shaped like a leaf.

The girls were pursued by a horde of monsters all intent on destroying them, as the campers heard their distress call and rushed to help the two girls turned and raised their hands before shouting above the howling wind "Cuiao galadh a garthao peredhil!" at this command Thalia's pine came to life and started to aid the girls in their fight against the monsters. The campers looked on in shock as the obviously exhausted girls fought the monsters in a display more akin to a dance then a battle.

Even so the girls were tiring and as the blonde was thrown into her friend by a hellhound the campers joined into the fight. They soon destroyed most of the monsters and as they turned towards the girls the dark haired one whispered something in the blonde's ear, stood up and bowed to the tree "Hannon le, Mellon nin" at which the tree settled back into its original position and became inanimate once again. The dark haired girl instantly collapsed.

The campers turned towards the now unconscious girls, their hair plastered to their heads by the rain allowing their pointed ears to show through.  
Annabeth turned to Percy who was stood next to her and breathing heavily from the fight "Who or What are they seaweed brain?" She asked but it wasn't Percy who answered, above the girls the goddess of spring appeared. "My dear, these are two who should never have existed, one is my stepdaughter, the other my niece. Take care of them both, for they are a long way from home and missing their families." Having finished her speech she left leaving behind the smell of roses and chrysanthemums.


	2. Leo Falls Head Over Heels (Literally)

t took three days in the infirmary and all of the skills of the Apollo cabin before the first of the girls woke up. She was immediately overwhelmed by Annabeth "Who are you? Where did you learn to fight like that? Where are you from?"  
She answered in a language Annabeth couldn't understand "Ai, Ni estaon Tari Golodh a Mellon Nin esta Gilraen Gurth. Ni Cuaien Imlandris"  
"Pardon?"  
"Oh, my apologies, I said 'hello, my name is Tari Golodh and my friend is called Gilraen Gurth. We're from Imlandris' this isn't my first language so I'm sorry for my accent, oh and did you know she'll be waking up with a massive headache in about 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Now!"  
The dark haired girls woke up groaning and clutching her head, she and Tari immediately started up a conversation in the language that Annabeth couldn't understand.  
"Umm... Tari... Gilraen..."  
Tari instantly switched to English and motioned that Gilraen should do the same.  
"Sorry Annabeth, umm this might sound a bit rude but do you have any food? Or our packs?"  
Annabeth nodded and replied "Well dinners in ten minutes and your packs are in the Big House. Do you want someone to fetch them for you?" they nodded "ok then," she stuck her head out of the door "oi seaweed brain, Sparky, go and grab the packs from the Big House please?"  
Around two minutes later the boys returned each staggering under the weight of the packs.  
"Thank you" Tari said as she took both the packs in one hand. "Would you mind if we got changed?"  
"Of course not, I'll be just outside if you need me" Annabeth replied before dragging the gawping boys out of the room.  
When Tari called Annabeth into the room five minutes later she stared at them in shock. They were each wearing a white tunic and green leggings with a crystal pendant hung around their necks, Tari's was green and Gilraen's was black. They had soft doeskin boots on their feet and their hair was intricately braided showing off their pointed ears to perfection.  
"Umm we'd probably better get going for dinner" Annabeth stuttered before leading the pair out of the room.  
...  
Outside of the infirmary three boys were stood waiting for the girls, one with blonde hair and two with dark hair.  
"Tari, Gilraen, these are Percy, Jason and Leo. Boys these are Tari and Gilraen."  
The pair was greeted by the boys before Leo tried to strike up a conversation with Gilraen, "So... can I call you Gilly?"  
He was met by an uncomprehending stare by Gilraen before Tari leaned over and whispered into her ear. The look on her face was replaced by one of fury and Leo soon found himself flat on his back with a knife pressed to his throat.  
"So I guess that's a no then isn't it?"  
Percy, Jason and Annabeth were doubled up with laughter at the scene before them and once Leo was off the floor they started teasing him unmercifully.  
...  
At the dining pavilion everyone turned to stare at the new arrivals as they hovered unsure where to go. Percy and Jason went up to speak to Chiron and he soon motioned that the two girls could go and sit at the Poseidon table with Percy and Jason.  
Throughout the meal Tari managed to deflect most of the questions asked by the boys, the only one she deigned to answer was what their last names meant and that shocked the boys into silence for a while.  
"So your surnames reflect your powers or personality then?" Jason asked trying to make sense of how one girl could be called 'Tari Knowledge' and the other 'Gilraen Death'.  
"Yes most of the time, like Gilraen's mothers surname is 'Undomiel' or 'evening star' it's quite simple really"  
"Wow, so if we had names like that he'd be Jason Storm and I'd be Percy..."  
Annabeth called over from a nearby table "You'd be Percy Seaweed-Brain" to the great hilarity of everyone else.  
Percy started to mutter under his breath about how he would get her back for that.  
...  
All too soon the meal was over and Chiron reluctantly motioned for the two girls to come over to him. "My dears as you haven't yet been claimed by your godly parents we are unsure as to where to place you. Please if you have any information regarding this fact let me know now."  
Gilraen made as if to speak but paused unsure of herself, Tari motioned for her to continue, "We do not know our parents but these were left for us" She and Tari both held up a piece of crystal they had on a leather cord around their necks. "I've had mine since birth and Tari's had hers since she left for Imlandris."  
Chiron took the crystal from Tari and started to examine it, he spotted a mark near the base that appeared to be an owl within a leaf. "What's this?" he asked her.  
"I don't know it wasn't there before," she replied.  
Gilraen started to look at hers too and found a skull etched onto the base. Chiron realised what it must be,  
"I think these must be the signs of your parent, what were you saying your names meant again? Death and Knowledge? I think your parent have claimed you already. Tari I think your mother must be Athena whilst Gilraen your father must be Hades. I'll get someone to take you to your cabins. Leo! Jason!"  
The boys ran over, "Yes Chiron?"  
"Take the girls to their cabins. Oh and introduce them to their siblings. Tari's a daughter of Athena and Gilraen's a daughter of Hades."  
"Come on then"  
…  
The next day Annabeth took Tari on a tour around camp.  
"Oi, Mrs Prissy!" A dirty-blonde haired girl stalked towards them.  
"Yes Clarisse?" Annabeth sighed  
"This the new girl?" Annabeth nodded, "Nice work fending off the monsters. Anyway we're so going to kick your butts later, Ares for the win!"  
Annabeth rolled her eyes at Clarisse, before leading Tari off to her 'first' archery lesson.  
….  
The whole Athena cabin was waiting for their lesson at the target range. Chiron cantered over and gave them all some instructions before leading Tari to the weapons store to choose a bow.  
She started to laugh and pressed one of the jewels on her circlet and a silver-beech bow and full contingent of silver arrows appeared on her back.  
Chiron looked at her in shock especially when she started to shoot over her shoulder, hitting either the bull's-eye or splitting the arrows already in the target each time.  
Everyone looked at her questioningly; she simply shrugged "I've been shooting since before I could walk what you expect?"  
They were about to question her more when the conch went for capture the flag.  
…  
Everyone gathered round in their cabin teams: Athena, Hades, Poseidon and Apollo on one. Ares Demeter, Hephaestus and Hermes on the other.  
"Now campers," Chiron called "I want a nice clean game. That means no killing and please keep the maiming to a minimum."  
The Ares Cabin grinned evilly at that already looking for the loopholes in that rule.  
The conch horn blew signalling the start of the game. Annabeth instantly put Tari and Gilraen on creek duty with Percy, hoping that it would keep them safe.  
Of course she was wrong, she hadn't bargained on the fact that Clarisse had used her brain –yes she has one – and worked out that would be where Annabeth had posted the new girls.  
"Look who we have here," Clarisse smirked as she strolled towards them "Prissy, zombie girl and Owly, how cute."  
Percy rolled his eyes at her, "You'd think after saving your butt four or five times you'd have a little respect for me?"  
She just glared at him and was about to retort when a loud crash was heard behind them.  
Everyone turned towards the noise as a group of ugly creatures wielding black iron weapons crashed out of the trees.  
"Yrch!" Tari hissed to Gilraen, the other girl nodded and the pair went into a fighting stance.  
Seeing the two girls enter their fighting stance Percy summoned Riptide and Clarisse fired up Maimer.  
The two campers sprung into battle slashing at the creatures before springing back out of combat, nursing injuries, when they realised that they hadn't just dissolved into gold dust at the touch of the celestial bronze.  
Exchanging amused glances at the confusion of Percy and Clarisse, Tari and Gilraen sprung into battle wielding the knives and sword respectively fiercely.  
The creatures didn't stand a chance as the two girls whirled among them letting out harsh cries as they pierced the creatures' skin with their silvery weapons.  
As the last of the creatures lay on the floor dead, Clarisse rushed to the pair too check that they were alright. To her astonishment neither had so much as a scratch on them, whereas Percy, the best swordsman of the past few hundred years, was sporting a large gash down one arm and a sprained ankle.  
Clarisse was just about to interrogate them when the conch blew signalling the end of the game so she settled with just shaking their hands.  
From that time on she considered them to be her friends.  
...  
Tari and Gilraen looked rather uncomfortable.  
Clarisse, Piper Hazel and Annabeth had dragged the shopping. (Percy was hanging around somewhere nearby in case Annabeth had an 'episode')  
The pair had already been dragged around numerous clothing shops and while Gilraen had been persuaded to buy a few items; namely black jeans, grey converse and a few grey t-shirts, Tari had refused to buy anything.  
The closest she'd come was a pair of brown combat trousers but eventually decided against them much to Clarisse's irritation.  
They were just contemplating slipping away when a commotion in front caught their attention.  
The mortal shoppers were scattering in fear before a hydra. It raised its head smelling the demigods and made its way towards them, breathing fire and spitting poison.  
Annabeth started to shake and collapsed to the ground as the hydra bought back memories of her time in Tartarus. Piper looked around frantically for Percy as he was the only one who could help her.  
Hazel and Clarisse reached for their concealed weapons but Tari and Gilraen beat them to it suddenly sporting full quivers of arrows and their bows.  
The pair rushed into battle, ducking dodging and firing arrows. The arrows appeared to have no effect and so they wielded their sword/knives and leaped at the hydra.  
They slashed at its heads trying to kill it without separating the heads from the necks.  
Hazel and Clarisse rushed forwards to help but were stopped by a wall of plants, confused as to where they'd come from the pair looked over at Tari and Gilraen. They were shocked by what they saw: Tari was glowing a soft green and had vines wrapping around her.  
Gilraen was glowing a light gold and her blades were lit on fire which she was using to seal the stumps after cutting the heads off.  
Soon the two girls dashing around the hydra were just blurs of green and gold accentuated by occasional flashes of flames as Gilraen's powers increased.  
Eventually the hydra collapsed into a pile of gold dust and the two girls fell next to it.  
The plant wall fell and Hazel ran to her sister while Clarisse rushed to Tari.  
"C'mon girl wake up" Clarisse muttered lightly slapping Tari's cheek. Slowly she came back into conciseness the green glow having faded.  
Two flashes appeared behind Clarisse and a light laughter could be heard, turning she saw two goddesses stood behind her. Quickly all the girls scrambled to their feet and bowed deeply.  
"My Lady" Tari said coming out of her bow at a cough from the one on the left.  
"Now Istari, what have I told you about bowing?" the goddess of spring asked  
"Not to bow, just as I have asked you to call me Tari." She flashed a sneaky grin at the goddess.  
Persephone laughed "True, true. So I came to congratulate you on making your way to camp and defeating the hydra my champion,"  
Hazel and Clarisse gasped at that – Tari was Persephone's Champion?  
Then the other goddess spoke up "Gilraen, my champion you used your powers well. Good choice the fire assured you victory."  
That was when they recognised her as Nike goddess of Victory.  
"Thank you my Lady," Gilraen responded, bowing her head in respect.  
The two goddesses made to flash out as their visit was complete but before they went Persephone spoke again.  
"Tari, dear, please let Clarisse buy you some more appropriate clothing. That is an order you know" she grinned happily and flashed out leaving all the girls staring in shock.  
As the request kicked in Clarisse grinned evilly she was going to have some fun.  
Hazel, Piper, Annabeth, who'd recovered enough to hear the conversation, and Percy were all too busy trying to comprehend the facts they had just been told – Tari was Persephone's Champion and Gilraen was Nike's Champion. There was obviously more to the pair of them than met the eye.  
….  
Leo was starting to wonder about the two girls, their weapons were made of a strange metal they called Ithil Celeb or Moon silver as Tari had translated for him. He'd recalled seeing it before with the hunters but when they had met the two girls none of them had recognised them so that crossed out that theory about where they'd come from.  
Added to that the fact that they both were the best in the camp at archery and spears, Tari was best at using knifes and Gilraen beat even Percy using a sword, they were something of an enigma.  
Neither of them was fluent in English despite Tari being able to speak fluent Greek and Latin. Many campers thought that Gilraen couldn't actually speak English but Leo knew better. Every so often her eyes would light up at the way people spoke to her as though she knew they were making fools of themselves. He also knew that she was fluent in Spanish thanks to one day when he tried to speak to her in Spanish by playing a trick on her by telling her things like the word for tree was a rude word etc. She just laughed at him and then started having a go at him in Spanish. He just stood there lost for words until she flounced off to the archery fields.  
That just made him like her even more.


	3. I'm not THAT old

Around two weeks after Tari and Gilraen arrived at Camp, the hunters had arrived. A month later they were showing no signs of leaving.  
Thalia was talking with Jason, Nico and Percy about Tari and Gilraen, and what Leo thought of Gilraen as his failed attempts at getting a girl were by then a running joke.  
"So Percy, how does Annabeth like her new sister then?" Thalia asked trying to find out whether or not Tari and Gilraen would be worthy Hunter material.  
"Well, she's sort of annoyed actually as Tari manages to beat her at most stuff, I think the only thing she's not so good around is technology and architecture. And, don't tell her I said this, but Tari is way better with her knives." Percy looked around like he was hoping that Annabeth hadn't materialised by his shoulder. Luckily for him she hadn't.  
"And Nico, do you like your other little sister?"  
Nico snorted "I'd hardly say 'little' she's way older than most people here. I think the only ones she's younger than are Mr D, Chiron, Artemis and Tari."  
Thalia looked at him in disbelief, trying to work out whether or not he was joking. He just shrugged his shoulders.  
She turned to Jason "So little bro, what do you think of the new girls?"  
"Umm... they're very... nice? Especially Tari" he sighed.  
Thalia looked at the other two with one eyebrow raised. They nodded, Jason was blatantly head over heels in love and that meant two girls certainly weren't going to be happy.  
They were about to tease Jason about this when a shout was heard from the arena, they looked at one another and ran as fast as they could because the shout sounded like Annabeth.  
...  
When they reached the arena they stopped in shock, inside it was a giant spider and fighting it was Tari. She was firing arrows at it and trying to distract it from Annabeth who was curled up shaking at the side of the arena. Percy immediately ran over to her as he was the only one who could help her when she had one of her little 'episodes' a side effect from the Giant war.  
The others only watched Tari in shock as she gracefully ran around, hurling what sounded like insults at it, dodging the spider's fangs and shooting arrows at it. None of them missed their mark.  
When she realised that her arrows were serving only to enrage the spider she sheathed her bow and drew her knives. She then leaped at its back and landed with a slight thump.  
This snapped the others out of their trance and Nico ran forwards wielding his sword to try and assist Tari. He raised his arm to attack the spider's head when it twisted suddenly and managed to graze his arm with its teeth.  
Whilst the spider was distracted by Nico, Tari managed to jam one of her knives in the join between its head and abdomen. It fell to the ground where it lay quivering before dissolving into a pile of gold dust.  
With the spider dead everyone remembered Nico as he lay on the ground shivering and slowly turning paler.  
A boy from the Apollo cabin ran forwards "We need to get him to the infirmary now"  
Picking Nico up Tari followed him, ignoring the stares, as an apparently slight 15 year old girl picked up a 14 year old boy with ease.  
As they reached the infirmary the boy gestured that she should place Nico down on one of the beds and introduced himself "Hi, I'm Will Solace, umm can you pass me the canister on your left. He'll need the nectar inside it."  
Gilraen was suddenly framed in the doorway "It won't work," she said shocking everyone gathered around, "He needs Estalon; it's the only thing that can stop Spider's Venom."  
"Well, that's great do you have any?" Will asked hoping that she did as he could see that Nico was fading fast.  
"No," This time it was Tari who spoke, "Normally I do, but I didn't think I'd need it as we haven't seen one of those spiders in years. I thought we were safe. I can make more but the ingredients are scattered all around our country."  
...  
The whole camp was in uproar as Tari visited the infirmary once again, a package wrapped in green in her hand.  
"Give Nico a bite of this every day, he only needs a small bit. It should help slow the toxin's effects and give him the strength to remain conscious. With some of this everyday he should survive for about three months. After that if he doesn't get the Estalon, well I'm afraid he'll be taking a one way trip to see his father."  
Will took the package gratefully and unwrapped it eagerly. Inside he was shocked to find hard bread.  
"It's called Lembas," Tari said, noting his confusion.  
It didn't help but he still thanked her and made a note to ask her how it was made later on.  
As Tari turned to leave Chiron stopped her, "Go to the cave on the hill, you know the one I mean with the purple curtain?" she nodded "Well run up there, I have a feeling an important message will be passed on to you. One that could save Nico."  
Tari nodded once again and ran towards the cave, shocking everyone with her speed.  
...  
Stood outside the cave was a girl with red hair gazing over the camp waiting for something.  
She made no acknowledgment of another's presence as Tari approached her,  
"Hello, I'm Tari, Chiron sent me. He said there'd be a message for me, one to do with saving Nico?"  
The girl turned, green smoke pouring out of her mouth and she started to speak in a rasping voice.  
"Skull and Owl combined in a leaf;  
Shall journey to beat the Spider's teeth;  
Without Storm or Fire they will fail;  
Three gods help them to prevail;  
A child of an enemy long lost is found;  
An ancient threat uncovered from beneath the ground."  
The girl collapsed to the floor, her eyes rolled back into her head. Tari ran towards her in an attempt to revive her but wasn't needed, as when she reached the girl she sat up coughing and muttering profanities under her breath.  
"Ugh, stupid prophecy, better go tell Chiron I suppose." She stood up and started to skip off down the hill, only to pause halfway down and beckon to Tari who was stood stationary at the top of the hill sating after the girl.  
"Come on! We haven't got all day! Oh, I'm Rachel by the way. Rachel Elizabeth Dare and I'm warning you I've heard all the jokes before."  
Shocked out of her stare, Tari ran down the hill after her soon catching up.  
...  
When Chiron heard the prophecy he announced the 'quest' in front of the rest of the camp.  
"Well judging by the elements listed in the prophecy Tari and Gilraen are the ones in the top line, storm must be Jason or Percy, but most likely Jason, Leo would be the other as only his powers fit 'fire'."  
He had said Jason was more likely than, Percy who could also control storms as he'd requested to not be a part in any more quests unless absolutely essential as he was, along with Annabeth, still suffering from PTSD after their 'little trip' last summer.  
No one objected to the names mentioned, although Piper scowled ferociously, and so Chiron motioned to the four "It's settled then, you shall be the members of the quest. I expect to see you outside the Big House straight after breakfast tomorrow, ready to go. Now to bed all of you."  
….  
The next morning the questers were outside the Big House ready to go.  
Jason and Leo dressed in jeans, trainers and plain t-shirts – well plainish, Leo's had the phrase 'TEAM LEO' scrawled on the front as a joke from Hazel. They each had a small backpack containing Ambrosia, Nectar, a sleeping bag and a change of clothes. Jason had his Gladius sheathed at his waist and Leo had his trusty tool belt.  
Tari and Gilraen on the other hand were dressed completely differently. Gilraen had black jeans, her boots, a white tunic belted at her waist and a black baseball jacket. Her hair was braided in its usual fashion and she had two earrings in each ear.  
Tari wore dark green combat trousers, a white tunic, once again belted at the waist, and her boots. Her braided hair was held back by a silver circlet and at her neck was her crystal necklace, as was Gilraen's. On her arms were green leather greaves inlaid with silver and a white metal.  
The boys were shocked by the girls' appearance especially since on their backs were the incredibly heavy – to the boys' anyway – packs that they'd arrived with. They were also amazed by the sheer number of weapons the girls were carrying. Each had their bow and quiver full of arrows, Tari also had her two long silver and gold knives strapped to her back while Gilraen had her Stygian Iron sword at her waist.  
After staring for a while Leo plucked up the courage to ask Tari why she had the circlet on. In response she tapped the centre jewel. She was instantly dressed in silvery armour designed for speed, agility and beauty. It had patterns inlaid in gold and green, in designs of battles.  
Leo looked closer at the designs, there was the same girl in each one, with a start he realised that it was Tari. He moved to touch one of the designs but Tari pulled away.  
She tapped the jewel again and the armour vanished. Leo had the feeling that the other jewels did similar thing but before he could ask Chiron arrived.  
"Tari, Gilraen, I assume you have some idea of where you are supposed to go." Chiron asked the two girls.  
"Of course, our homeland. But we'll require some overseas transport to reach it."  
Leo grinned "Well, I'm sure I can provide that." He put on a whiney voice "Chiron can we borrow the Argo 2.5 please?"  
Chiron sighed and motioned that they could. Leo saw that the girls' were confused and so began to explain the Argo 2.5 to them.  
"It's a miniature Argo 2, you know the flying warship? Anyway it's suitable for demigod parties of less than five, it can fly, sail plus it has an automatic restocking kitchen."  
Seeing that the explanation hadn't helped he decided the best thing would be to just show them.  
….  
"So Tari what coordinates do I need to program in then?"  
"Don't. Fly south to Charleston then continue west until you're over the Pacific Ocean. We'll tell you when to stop." Was the reply he received.  
"Yes ma'am" Leo saluted back, which provoked and eye roll from Jason.  
Inside the Common room/kitchen area of the Argo 2.5 the fourth youths relaxed whilst playing the 'question game' so that they got to know one another better.  
"Favourite colour?" Leo asked  
"Green" was Tari's response  
"Blue" Jason answered  
"Light grey" Gilraen said which everyone was shocked by.  
"Weapon of choice?" That was Tari's question.  
"My Gladius" – Jason  
"My sword, bow and spear" – Gilraen  
"Fire or a good old fashioned wrench" Leo proclaimed.  
"Or breath mints!" Jason cut in trying not to laugh at the wounded expression on Leo's face.  
"Siblings?" Jason enquired  
"Nope – well unless you count the rest of the Hephaestus cabin"  
"One older brother and the rest of the Athena cabin."  
"Three, all younger, plus Nico and Hazel who are younger as well."  
"Age?" it was Gilraen's turn.  
"16" – Jason  
"15" – Leo  
"515" Tari answered much to the shock of the boys. She simply shrugged, "What? I know I'm young but still…"  
…  
The next day Tari told Leo to stop the Argo 2.5 and drop the ladder. He did even though they were above the ocean with no land in sight. He got even more confused when Tari and Gilraen appeared ready to go.  
"Umm… why are you?"  
Gilraen shot him a well practised death glare and Tari rolled her eyes.  
"Just follow us. Trust me you will not get wet"  
Leo decided to copy the girls and so got prepared to leave the safety of the ship. Jason looked at him strangely then decided to copy him after an obvious internal battle.  
Tari and Gilraen looked the boys over and nodded before speeding down the ladder. The boys waited for a splash. When it didn't come they decided that it was safe to go down the ladder too.  
When they reached the bottom the two boys looked around in shock...


	4. Where's Santa

When they reached the bottom the boys looked around in shock, they were in a giant forest with no water in sight, where before they'd been above the ocean with no land on the horizon.  
It nearly fried Leo's few working brain cells. The same could probably be said for Jason. The two girls on the other hand? As happy as little kids in a sweet shop.  
Tari was running around like Leo on caffeine, she ran from tree to tree only stopping long enough to place her hand on their trunks for a few seconds before her face lit up and she ran to another. It was a far cry from the normally solemn reserved girl they knew.  
Gilraen was watching her friend amusedly like it was a relatively normal occurrence. She only broke her gaze away from Tari briefly to tell the two boys, in Spanish, '...' which Leo had to translate: shut your mouths or you'll catch flies. Needless to say they both did so.  
When Tari noticed that they were staring at her she stated "I'm home" before letting out a childish cry of delight and climbing a large oak tree in a blonde blur.  
Soon the sound of babbling voices could be heard from the tree and Gilraen started to grin as she understood what they were saying.  
The boys jumped as the voices stopped and a crash was heard as Tari jumped to the forest floor, a huge grin lighting up her face.  
She then turned and shouted up at the tree "Tor-nin!"  
A loud groan could be heard before another crash as someone nearly identical to Tari landed next to her.  
They made as if to speak but Tari held up a hand and pointed to the two boys, the figure turned to the two boys, they could see that he was male, identical to Tari in pretty much every way apart from his eyes. Whilst Tari had the typical daughter-of-Athena-grey eyes he had a bright-leaf-green colour that seemed older than the rest of him when his face was solemn as he contemplated the boys.  
The illusion of age was shattered though when he smiled at his pleasure at meeting the boys and seeing Tari.  
"Jason, Leo, this is my brother: Legolas Greenleaf."  
The two boys smiled at him and greeted him; Legolas returned the greetings in kind.  
"So Silverleaf, what brings you back here?" he asked smirking slightly at his sister's discomfort.  
"Oh you know the usual, Gandalf, spiders and other bits and bobs." Tari replied with an expression that clearly said 'I'll tell you later', "And anyway brother I think that you have been exceedingly rude. You haven't yet greeted our dear cousin"  
"Of course, how stupid of me, it is a pleasure to see you again Gilraen." He clasped her hand which led Tari to roll her eyes and Leo to feel an unexpected wave of rage.  
"Come let me show you the way to our home, it's not far and I'm sure Ada will be delighted to meet your new friends Silverleaf" Legolas said, starting to walk towards the forest.  
The boys were going to protest as the first thing you learn as a demigod is not to trust strange people no matter how friendly they seem, but at the expression of delight on Tari's face their hearts softened and they reluctantly followed.  
….  
After walking for a number of hours the trees began to thin and appear ordered. A few minutes later a magnificent structure built into the rock face appeared. Outside the main silvery doors were two people dressed in elegant armour holding spears and a shield.  
The siblings and Gilraen were able to pass through the door easily, the guards even bowed their heads as they passed, but when Jason and Leo tried to get through they were stopped with crossed spears.  
The boys stood there helpless for a minute until Tari realised that they hadn't followed and came back. "Finrod. Galdor. Let the boys pass. They're no threat here." The guards obeyed, bowing fully to Tari.  
Although the boys were a little worried by her assurance that they were 'no threat' they followed her deeper into the rock face. All the while wondering what Tari's position was within this land to command such respect.  
…...  
The group travelled down long stone passageways, high ceilinged and decorated with delicate tapestries and boughs of greenery. They eventually reached a large chamber with a ceiling reminiscent of a cathedral, but one hung with vines and banners. Once again elaborate tapestries and more greenery decorated the walls along with carvings of battles and great deeds that were studded with jewels of many colours. In the centre of this opulent room stood four thrones, only one of which was occupied.  
The man sat on this throne looked up as the group entered, from the councillors he was talking to and a look of joy appeared on his face. After quickly dismissing the councillors he motioned for the group to come forward.  
At that point Tari ran towards him and flung herself into a hug which Legolas soon joined.  
"Iell nin, iell nin" the man murmured as he returned the hug before stepping back away from Tari.  
He scrutinised her to check that no harm had befallen her. Once he was satisfied with that he turned to Gilraen, Jason and Leo.  
"Gilraen! Mellon nin!" he exclaimed, just before a gong went off reverberating throughout the room.  
Tari quickly spoke a few words with the man before approaching Jason and Leo "The gong signalled that it is just ten minutes before dinner and so we must change. Jason, Leo, my brother will show you to a room in which you may change."  
She curtsied once to the man and ran off laughing down another corridor, closely followed by Gilraen.  
Legolas motioned for the two boys to follow him and so the set off down a different corridor, once again wondering who Tari was exactly.  
….  
Everyone was seated at the meal apart from those on the top table and the boys were feeling quite uncomfortable.  
Not only were the elaborate tunics and leggings they were wearing different to their normal attire, they couldn't understand a word that was being said around them.  
A fanfare blew and into the hall entered a number of men dressed in rich robes. They made their way to the top table and sat, leaving four spaces in the middle.  
Another fanfare blew and this time everyone stood as the man from before entered the hall, garbed in rich green and gold robes with a crown on his brow. He was closely followed by three figures; one in a silver and black gown, one in a green and silver gown and one in a green and silver tunic and leggings.  
As they sat, Jason and Leo realised with a start that the two in the gowns were Tari and Gilraen: Tari in the green and Gilraen in the black.  
The man in the centre, the one in the green and gold robes stood and called out in perfect English "Today is a wondrous day as we witness the return of my beloved daughter Istari" a cough was heard from his left, "Ah- my apologies. I meant: Tari, Princess of the Great Wood."  
Leo promptly collapsed, both from exhaustion and shock.  
….  
Tari looked around from the top table, watching people she'd know for years and looking for those she'd only known a few weeks.  
She finally found them, Leo looking pale and unsteady, Jason just looking uncomfortable.  
With a start she realised that they wouldn't understand anything that was going on around her and so turned to her left. "Ada, would you mind asking everyone to speak the common tongue while my two friends are here?"  
Her father just laughed and agreed before standing up and announcing it. From then onwards whenever Tari looked over at her friends they seemed much more relaxed as they were included in conversations.  
Satisfied with that Tari allowed herself to be drawn into conversation with the councillor next to her, all the while feeling jealous of her brother and Gilraen who were sat next to each other.  
Realising that she couldn't escape it, she pulled on her well practised 'pleasantly interested' face and exchanged pleasantries and meaningless conversation for the rest of the evening.  
…  
At the end of the meal a light hand was placed on her shoulder, looking up Tari saw the amused twinkling green eyes of her brother.  
"I am most sorry sir, but I am afraid I must steal my sister, the princess Istari, away. Family business." He said smoothly whilst directing her up and out of her chair.  
Tari made her own apologies before the pair walked off slowly. Slowly that was until they were out of sight, at which point they both started laughing.  
"So, how did you like being a 'proper' princess again?" Legolas teased Tari.  
"It's ok. Better than a herd of firion following me around, like lovesick ents. And DON'T CALL ME ISTARI!"  
Legolas just laughed harder at his little sister, both at the thought of his no nonsense sister being followed around by a group of lovesick human boys and her outburst at him calling her by her full name.  
"Actually though, in all seriousness, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in Imladris 'completing your education' not trekking halfway around the world with two mortal boys?"  
Tari shrugged "Blame Gandalf, it was his idea to send us to a 'camp' to- how did he put it? –'release our full potential' and 'uncover our true parentage' by that i think he meant my nana and Gilraen's Ada."  
She looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking herself and running off down the corridor "Race you to Ada!" she called over her shoulder.  
"Prepare to lose!" her brother responded.  
They both ran whooping and cheering past confused courtiers and bemused servants  
...  
The siblings reached the family room out of breath and laughing. When they burst in everyone looked up in shock.  
Having seen who it was Gilraen started to laugh and at that Leo looked like he was going to faint -in his eyes it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.  
"Well hîn, I'm so glad you could finally join us." The king said in a stern voice.  
"Sorry Ada, but Legolas first had to rescue me from Councillor Falassion" Tari replied with a cheeky grin that her brother mirrored.  
Their father just raised one eyebrow "Hmm... anyway Silverleaf, tell me why you and Gilraen here aren't in Imladris completing your education"  
Tari shrugged her shoulders and replied "Blame Gandalf" before recounting her tale.  
"Is this true Gilraen?" he turned to the dark haired girl who nodded the affirmative.  
He looked thoughtful for a moment before Jason piped up "Um sir? Who are you and what is this place?"  
"Well my boy, first off please call me Thranduil, anyone who can put up with my insufferable daughter long enough to be classed as a friend has, in my opinion, earned that right." Ignoring the indignant glare from Tari and chuckle from Legolas and Gilraen he continued "Secondly I'm an elf, just as Tari and Gilraen are and most everyone in this citadel. And finally you are in the Great Wood or Mirkwood as some call it, in Middle Earth."  
Jason and Leo stared at him until Leo, being Leo, decided to ask the question that Jason knew he would.  
"Where's Santa then?"  
Jason groaned while the other four in the room stared at Leo as though he'd suddenly sprouted two heads.  
"Oh Leo," Jason sighed at his best friend.  
...  
The family and friends talked late into the night before the question came up.  
"So Tari, what are you and your friends doing in Middle Earth?"  
"Well aside from revenge on Gandalf," she waited for the few chuckles to die down "We need some Estelon for one of Gilraen's new siblings. He was bitten by a spider, but it was odd as it was a Ungol, such as we fought whilst 'las was off playing heroes during the War of the Ring"  
Thranduil pondered that for a moment, ignoring the glaring contest between his two children.  
"Well, I'll think it over tonight and we'll discuss it further in the morning. Now of to bed all of you –and try not to kill one another please hîn!" the last section was directed at Tari and Legolas who'd progressed from glaring at one another to pinching and elbowing.  
"Goheno nin" The pair chorused.  
"Just go," He sighed exasperatedly.  
...  
The next morning Gilraen woke up fully refreshed for the first time in ages. She looked around her chamber, it was the same one she always had, decorated in earthy tones like the rest of the palace but the tapestries were of her house emblem and the bedcovers were black and silver.  
She dressed for breakfast, sighing as she drew out a deep blue gown, embellished with silver flowers, and placed her circlet on her head.  
It was at times like these that she hated her mother.  
Leaving her room she saw two familiar people at the end of the corridor, bickering as usual, and started to run towards them, calling out as she went.  
"Tari! Legolas!"  
The siblings paused their bickering for a while to wait for her.  
When she reached them she looked at them both in dismay, they were both wearing a tunic and leggings along with their silver circlets, Tari's tunic was white with green leggings, and Legolas's tunic was green with brown leggings.  
She raised an eyebrow at Tari who laughed, much to happily for the morning Gilraen thought, "Oh Ada gave up years ago on making me wear a dress all the time. Besides I'm scouting in the woods later and don't have time to change."  
She grinned wickedly "And while I'm scouting, you're with Jason and Leo investigating a disturbance in Dol Goldur, something about proving that Camp Half Blood is worth the cure." She started laughing again at the expression on Gilraen's face as she dreaded spending time alone with Jason and Leo. This time Legolas joined in.  
Gilraen just glared at the siblings.


	5. Anger Issues

The pair sprang from tree to tree. They were nearly hidden completely in the leaves by their green and brown attire.  
The smaller one stopped suddenly and held up a hand, squinting down to the gloomy forest floor below.  
"Tari?"the other called out, unsure as to why she had stopped.  
"Shh, 'las, below us. Four or five big 'uns."  
Legolas looked at his sister amused; it was only when she was concentrating hard on something that she allowed her words to slur together. He peered closely at the forest floor and as his eyes adjusted could just about make out the spiders below them.  
Both silently drew their bows and nocked an arrow, 'competition?' Tari mouthed, locking eyes with her brother.  
'You're on' he mouthed back before breaking into a huge grin.  
Smirking the pair released their arrows and jumped into the chaos they'd created.  
As they jumped the two unsheathed their gleaming knives and landed gracefully, slashing at the spiders surrounding them.  
Within minutes there were no signs of life left from the foul creatures around them.  
"How many?"  
"Two," Tari regretfully replied. Her brother's grin widened as he realised that he'd won.  
Of course the grin was wiped off his face once he realised that his sister was reaching for her arrows threateningly.  
Satisfied that he wasn't going to gloat Tari ran off back in the direction they'd come from challenging Legolas to a race over her shoulder.  
She had a moment of triumph upon reaching the palace ahead of her brother, although he protested that it wasn't far as she'd set off before him.  
The pair stopped their bickering however when they heard a soft cough behind them.  
"Ahh, hîn, good you have stopped your meaningless fighting. How was the scouting?" Thranduil asked, rolling his eyes at the childishness of the two.  
"Good," the pair replied, flushing slightly at being caught, "We saw five spiders –and before you ask yes we disposed of them."  
Their father smiled at the picture before him, "Well then, go and get cleaned up, and put on court clothes. I require your help and you need to learn it anyway."  
The siblings groaned at the thought of the suffocating formal wear that was require for court. They groaned again when the realised what the second part meant: sitting on their uncomfortable thrones for hour upon end.  
But doing their duty they went to change.  
….  
"Gilraen..."  
She sighed "Yes Leo?"  
"How far now?" he whined, trying to pull off big puppy dog eyes.  
Jason could see Gilraen's face muscles contort and her hand unconsciously reach for her sword at her hip.  
"Um, Leo, I know, if you're bored why not practise your Greek? It'll make Annabeth happy." Jason quickly cut in, probably saving his best friend's life.  
Leo set to 'practising' his Greek (really he was cursing everyone in Greek under his breath)  
Jason rolled his eyes at his best friend whilst Gilraen glared at him, in silence they continued on towards Dol Guldur.  
Upon their arrival at Dol Guldur the three demigods felt the ground shake and heard the BOOM of a nearby explosion, accompanied by much loud cursing that had even Leo blushing.  
As Gilraen recognised the loud cursing, the confusion on her face was replaced by amusement. Providing no explanation she dismounted her horse and sprinted off in the direction the cursing came from. Jason and Leo paused for a moment before rushing after her before she got out of sight and they were completely lost.  
When they finally caught up with Gilraen she was tackling a tall sandy-haired man into a hug.  
"Findarato! It's been too long Mellon nin" she exclaimed as she released the figure.  
"It's nice to see you too mini-arwen" he was cut off abruptly as Gilraen's already frayed nerves snapped.  
"Don't. Call. Me. Mini-arwen." She said through gritted teeth, holding a knife to his throat, and terrifying both Jason and Leo.  
"Peace Gwathel, calm, I'm a friend remember?" Findarato said calmly, waving a hand in front of her face.  
Gilraen blinked and her expression returned to normal, under her breath she muttered the words 'calm' and 'friend'. Once she'd blinked again she began a conversation in the language the Jason and Leo didn't understand.  
"Mellon nin, am man Theled?" My friend, why?  
"Mornnost adh yrch!"  
"Mas?" Where?  
"Mi Eryn Lasgalen" In the Greatwood  
"Man lu?" How long?  
"odh Firith." Since   
With the last sentence Gilraen's face grew stony and she rushed off into the shadows.  
Leo made to follow her but Findarato held him back,  
"Trust me you don't want to go near her now. She's probably punching some poor rock to smithereens. I swear that if there were no monsters in this world she'd probably have ended up a mass murderer, her anger issues are that bad." He said the last part with such a large grin that Leo couldn't help but grin back.  
Jason spoke up, not trusting the man,  
"Who are you exactly cause you look kinda human"  
Findarato smiled at the question,  
"I can assure you, I am most definitely not human. I am the fifth member of the Istari."  
Jason looked confused,  
"But isn't that Tari's name, 'Istari', I mean?"  
"Well, it's quite complicated, basically 'Istari' was a nickname given to her by her people. Her birth name was Celebelasse, but at around her 100th year most started calling her Celebelasse Istari because of her thirst for knowledge. Istari means 'of the wise' and a number of her friends didn't feel comfortable calling her that so they shortened it to Tari. This incidentally is also her title."  
Both boys looked confused at the explanation so he tried again, "Both of the names 'Istari' and 'Tari' are her nicknames, she hated her first name so she prefers to be called by her second nickname. Ok?"  
The boys nodded having finally understood it.  
"So is it the same thing with Gilraen then?" Leo asked, eager to learn more about her. He looked disappointed when Findarato shook his head.  
The two demigods looked as though they were going to ask more questions but before they could there was a loud crash, a faint female cry and the sound of heavy feet thumping against stone.  
The three ran off in the direction the noises had come from when they realised that the cry was Gilraen's and it could only mean one thing- she was in trouble.  
...  
Tari was nearly asleep on her throne and looking over to her brother she could see he was too. They'd been sat with their father listening to petitioners, courtiers and just about everyone else for the past few hours and they were both bored out of their minds.  
Finally their father released them, and so the pair instantly rushed outside and climbed one of the tall strong limbed trees lining the road to the entrance.  
The pair was just settling comfortably at the top of the tree when there was a knock on the trunk.  
"My Lady, your father requires your presence in the throne room once again. There is a visitor from Imladris here for you."  
Tari groaned and jumped down from the tree, hastening to do as her father wanted. She rushed to the throne room but stopped abruptly when she recognised the figure in front of her father.  
...  
Gilraen had been stalking through the forest trying to clear her anger but just succeeded in hurting her hand when she punched a large rock. She had a moment of satisfaction however when the rock cracked partially, sometimes she really loved being an elf.  
She'd just calmed down enough with the pain and was cradling her hand to her chest when she heard the thud of heavy feet pounding across the cracked stones of a ruined courtyard.  
She cursed softly under her breath in Greek, "Vlakas", she knew she shouldn't have gone off on her own. Her anger always led her to make bad decisions.  
Unfortunately for her someone or something heard her.  
"Stop!" a nasal voice called out and the thudding of feet ground to a halt, before she could escape up a tree or run off into the forest Gilraen was surrounded by Uruk-hai, a black ring painted on their armour.  
She tried to run but they caught her and bound her, before taking her to the courtyard and their cackling leader.  
...  
The figure in front of her father turned to Tari and she ran forwards with a huge grin lighting up her face as the same expression was mirrored on the figure's face.  
She flung herself into his arms and allowed herself to relax as he whispered soothing words into her ears "Tari, meleth-nin, Ge melin,"  
They stood like that for a while until Thranduil coughed loudly and the pair sprang apart guiltily.  
"As I was saying Elrohir, it is a pleasure to see you and your brother again, especially since your niece is here at this time as well. And Tari of course." He finished the welcome and Tari started to speak.  
"So, meleth-nin, why are you here and not in Imladris?"  
Elrohir smirked "I could ask you the same question Istari," He ignored the indignant glare sent his way and continued, "but actually I have a question to pose both to you and your father since you have nearly completed your education."  
...  
Jason and Leo looked into the courtyard with growing dread; there was a circle of foul creatures all staring down at a figure sprawled on the ground.  
The figure groaned and that was when they realised that it was in fact Gilraen, their suspicions were confirmed when they recognised the sword that one of the creatures was holding.  
Both of the boys had to think up a way to rescue her from those creatures, it was just then that Leo remembered what he had confiscated from one of the younger members of his cabin a little while before they left. He reached into his tool belt and pulled out a jar of Greek Fire.  
He tapped Jason on the shoulder, which made his best friend jump as he was so focused on the scene in front of them.  
Leo showed Jason the jar and Jason's eyes widened. Leo started a countdown on his fingers and prepared to throw the jar into the midst of the creatures.  
5...4...3...2...1...  
He threw the jar hard and it smashed into a pillar on the opposite side of the courtyard, green flames erupted immediately scattering the creatures and illuminating Gilraen's lifeless form on the ground.  
Jason rushed in and started to fight the creatures that remained; it was a harder fight than he was used to as they didn't dissolve into dust with a critical hit. Instead he was required to slash at them until they fell down dead.  
Whilst Jason was fighting the creatures Leo sprinted to Gilraen and started to pull her away and into the woods. She began to stir as he reached the shadows on the edge of the courtyard, and that was when he saw that her clothing had been ripped, and was in some places barely covering her form.  
"Gilraen, you're safe now, do not worry." He whispered and she immediately ceased her struggling.  
Jason ran to them a few moments later out of breath, "Uh, guys, it's probably a good idea for us to run, like now."  
The three of them made to move, but before they could Leo shrugged off his baseball jacket and passed it to Gilraen to conceal her ripped tunic. She breathed her thanks at him and they ran, with pounding feet and shouted profanities close behind them.


	6. Tari Snaps

The group made a strange procession leaving Mirkwood, Leo and Jason at the head in jeans and their Camp T-shirt (Tari having lost the battle to put them in more 'appropriate' clothing) arguing about whether DC or Marvel was better, Tari was wandering happily between the trees lost in a daydream and oblivious to the undergrowth which snagged at her skirt, whilst Gilraen chatted absently with Legolas about Gondor and her family there.  
They wandered along in this contented peace for a while until Tari raised her hand to brush some branches out of her way and Gilraen noticed a glint coming from her ring finger. She squealed and rushed to grab her friend's hand so as to examine the finger in better detail.  
When she saw the delicate silver and sapphire band circling the finger she couldn't contain herself any longer "Finally..." she breathed looking up at Tari's face. A soft blush enhanced the cheekbones of her friend and a soft smile graced her face.  
"So Mellon nin... you're now going to be my Aunt, officially!" Gilraen started to jump up and down.  
Tari grinned at the over excited behaviour of her younger friend "Yes, and as such, you should really remember to respect your elders and so obviously betters..." she teased.  
Gilraen gladly took up the challenge "Bah! You are barely older than me so don't get so high and mighty!"  
"I'm older than you by just over a century melui," Gilraen opened her mouth to respond but Tari cut her off, "And taller too!"  
Gilraen's face dropped at this and glared at Tari's back, stroking her knife gently until it was time to make camp.  
...  
Gilraen sat on a tree branch high up in an oak tree in the middle of the forest. Below her, Leo and Jason were setting up camp with Tari yelling various types of abuse at them, Legolas having left them to return to the palace as he was needed on a patrol the next day.  
Gilraen, though, blocked it out. All she could sense was a sweet smell coming off the jacket, and a fait but subtly there essence of a certain demigod. In her hands she held a black and white baseball jacket with a large R picked out on the left hand side of the chest in grey. The smell was of toffee and smoke, a soothing sense of safety. Her eyes snapped open, she ... no she couldn't be... was she falling for Leo?  
Hastily she scaled down the tree and put the jacket back on with a small amount of difficulty, she was trying to hide some of the scrapes and bruises that the stupid orcs had given her; they were healing a lot slower than she would have liked.  
...  
The boys were confused as to why the girls had made them set up camp, before they had travelled throughout the day and hadn't needed to make camp once.  
Jason posed the question to Tari who told him they just needed to "wait and see" and that it was necessary for them to make camp and for him to stop asking her questions.  
They were even more confused when Gilraen walked back into camp with the ghost of tear tracks on her cheeks but blamed that on the ordeal she'd been through earlier that day and the injuries littering her body.  
All in all though they were confused as to the antics of the elves they were travelling with.  
...  
The fire danced in the centre of the group of heroes, throwing wavering shadows onto the forest floor. Gilraen snuck a glance at Leo; his eyes sparkled in the flickering light, causing them to light up as if the fire was within them rather than a reflection. He chattered animatedly the Jason about various beasts he claimed to have seen in the forest at camp. Tari sharply nudged Gilraen out of her study of Leo's face and sniggered, obviously noticing the glare she received as she giggled mercilessly at Gilraen's embarrassment and irritation of being discovered staring at the demigod.  
"Rae' and Leo, sitting in a tree..." Tari sang the human song they had picked up on their last trip to Florida, in elvish.  
Gilraen clamped one hand over Tari's mouth and the other pressing a small knife to her throat, incidentally the same knife she pressed against Leo's throat when they first met. Leo and Jason stopped talking and rushed to pull the two elves apart; Leo held Gilraen momentarily against his chest before she threw him off and stalked off in to the shadows.  
Gilraen ran through the trees and stopped at a stream. In the moonlight it lit up a silvery colour which, in all its beauty, brought a wave of home sickness. She collapsed to her knees on the bank and ran her hands through the water, the light made her pale face glow an eerie silver and made her look angelic. A lone tear slid down her face as the thought of her farther, not Hades but the one that raised her, Aragorn and her half brothers, waiting in Gondor.  
But then she thought of a pair of eyes and smiled, Leo, the one that annoyed her to mount doom and back, sweet Leo who gave her the jacket and comforted her when she cried, gorgeous Leo who, even turning up late to breakfast in pyjama bottoms, hoodie and mussed hair standing on end, and still looked amazingly handsome, Leo who never gave up trying to make her laugh and always flirted with her, Leo, oh Hades, Leo the boy she realised with a slight sense of dread, that was the first she loved.  
...  
They were all asleep around the campfire apart from Tari when Gilraen arrived back at the camp. Upon seeing the multiplied tear tracks on her cheeks Tari rushed to comfort her friend and made her sit where she started to tend her injuries using her basic battlefield knowledge and the small bits she'd picked up in Rivendell from Elrond and the Twins.  
Gilraen assisted her when necessary, her step-father also being good with herbs, she sat still when needed and waited patiently whilst Tari searched the packs and scoured the ground for the herbs and ingredients she needed.  
"Right so we need Comfrey for the bleeding...Pond lily to aid healing... camomile to help you sleep..."  
Gilraen smiled slightly as Tari muttered to herself, she was pleased that Tari had noticed that some of her wounds had opened up again. It was nice to be taken care of again, it made her think of being at home where, even though she was be a long way the eldest out of her siblings, because of her size she was the baby of the family.  
"Don't forget Lobelia and Tansy!" Gilraen softly called out which made Tari flash her a grin before going back to hunting for the required herbs.  
Eventually she'd found everything she needed and so set up some water to boil in the fire to clean the bandages and make a tea for Gilraen.  
"Here you are" she said handing Gilraen the tea made from pine needles, camomile and sweetened with honey. Gilraen drank the tea whilst Tari bathed her wounds with the hot water infused with athleas.  
She started to feel sleepy when Tari was binding her cuts back up with poultices spread over them and so Tari assisted her to her bed role and started to sing softly one of the songs from her childhood – the lay of Tinuviel.  
Her eyes closed to the image of her friend singing to her by the campfire and she slipped into a dreamless sleep.  
...  
Tari watched Gilraen's eyes close protectively, she hated to see her younger friend get hurt, and finished off her song softly. She'd chosen the song as she knew it was one that Arwen used to sing to her as a child and would comfort her.  
Whilst cleaning her injuries she'd checked that nothing else had happened to Gilraen and was relieved to see that cuts and bruises were all she had received as she had been worried by the state of her clothing, although she was concerned about Gilraen's eyes being closed as she slept.  
She kept watch a while longer, she could tell by looking at the stars she was supposed to switch watch an hour ago but she needed time to think and could go much longer than the others without sleep.  
Whilst she was watching the shadows she saw the outline of someone appear, grabbing her knives she went over to the figure to find out who they were.  
"Now, my dear, is that really the way to greet your patron?" A soft voice spoke out of the gloom.  
Tari dropped to her knees and sheathed her knives "My lady," she said "What brings you here?"  
Persephone stepped out of the shadows "I thought you may wish for this dear," she held out a soft bloom "My darling stepdaughter has a poison running through her veins you know."  
Tari nodded, she'd noticed the poison but had been powerless to do anything about it. Hesitantly she took the flower, unsure of how to use it.  
"Thank you my lady," she said and was flashed a stunning smile in response.  
"Anything that will keep you happy dear, losing your gwathel would make you quite useless to me." The goddess of spring disappeared in a shower of flowers, leaving only a faint scent behind that told of her presence.  
Tari looked at the pale flower in her hand and set about trying to work out what to do with it.  
...  
Leo woke up as the first rays of daylight crept through the tree tops, he saw Tari crouched in the same place he'd seen her last night and with some horror realised she hadn't handed over the watch to anyone.  
He was about to protest when he heard a soft pain filled groan from the bed roll to his left, Gilraen was just waking up a light sheen of sweat covering her brow and her limbs refusing to do her bidding.  
In a flash of green Tari was next to her friend holding a steaming wooden cup, "Shush, mellon nin, drink this, it will help, melui"  
She continued to make soothing sounds as Gilraen drank whatever was in the cup, as she finished Gilraen dropped back into a deep sleep, a peaceful expression on her face and her eyes closed.  
Tari sighed and jumped as she seemed to notice Leo was awake for the first time.  
"Oh good you're awake, be a dear and make up the fire again for me please?" she sounded exhausted and Leo could tell that she'd been worrying all night about Gilraen.  
The peace of the glade was broken though by Jason waking up and looking angrily at the sun.  
"Tari," he sounded exasperated "You were supposed to wake me up! You need sleep as well you know!" Leo had to hide a laugh at how 'Piper-esque' he sounded.  
Tari smiled faintly, "Sorry Jason, but I am more than capable of going nights without sleep, besides we won't be moving from here today."  
Jason looked confused as to why that was, but when he saw Gilraen asleep he seemed to understand why, "Is Gilraen the reason why then Tari? Is she more important than Nico? So important that we risk another day without medication for him?"  
Leo saw Tari's head tilt upwards and adopt a cold demeanour. For the first time since he'd met her she truly looked like a princess.  
"Do not presume to tell me what to do firin, my Gwathel will not die on my watch. Your friend has a week left. If Gilraen is moved she will die by the end of the day." She turned away from Jason and stalked off into the trees, her skirts swishing behind her.  
Leo looked at Jason, "Well done genius. You've lost any hope you ever had of being with her. At least Pipes will be pleased."  
...  
Tari sat by the stream, she was shaking, both from anger and fear. She was proud to admit that she was terrified that she would lose her best friend, cousin and gwathel. It was unthinkable.  
She smiled as she thought back to the first time she'd met Gilraen...  
The delegation arrived in Rivendell, officially for her father and Lord Elrond to sort out trade routes and alliances, unofficially for them all to meet Arwen's new daughter. They'd been travelling for weeks in the dust, rain and mud and Tari was looking forward to having a nice hot bath and sleeping for as long as she could get away with.   
Unfortunately she was unable to reach her much longed for chambers as she was accosted by one of her oldest friends en route.   
"Celebalasse! It has been too long! How is the Greatwood Mellon nin?" Arwen exclaimed on discovering her friend in the corridors. She grabbed Tari's arm and dragged her to the nursery, insisting that the first thing she did was meet her daughter, all the way she kept up an endless chatter about how adorable her daughter was and how she had just recently said her first word "Nana"  
Tari listened to the chatter half-heartedly, having never really cared for children herself due to being occupied with her training and the defence of the Greatwood to spend much time with them.   
The two elves soon reached the nursery; it was a large chamber decorated in a deep blue with the constellations in silver on the walls and ceiling. Light wood furniture stood out against the walls, and a beautifully carved cradle with white curtains stood in the centre.   
The nursemaid curtseyed as Arwen and Tari entered the room, before leaving in a hurry, anxious to let the two elves see the child in peace.   
The pair crossed the room to the cradle, where Arwen picked up the small child within. The child had porcelain features, framed by a sheath of ebony hair that was already long enough to reach her waist. The child opened her large eyes at the movement and Tari was amazed to see they were the same blue as the walls, an incredibly rare colouring for elves.   
"This, mellon nin, is Gilraen Edlothia, and sweetie," Arwen now addressed the solemn child, "This lady here, with the yellow hair is Celebalasse Istari, she is your valaramil... if she would like to be..."  
Tari looked at Arwen in surprise, she was asking her to be Gilraen's valaramil? She hesitantly nodded and was rewarded by a smile that lit up Arwen's face.   
Gilraen scrunched up her face in concentration "Tawi..." she said reaching for Tari's hair "Tawi... yewow!"  
The two older elves smiled at the child nestled in Arwen's arms, finding her attempt at saying 'Istari' utterly adorable.  
Tari smiled at the recollection of who she had to blame for being called 'Tari', the younger Gilraen's name for her had spread around Rivendell and followed her back to Mirkwood. She was just glad that it was a better than 'Istari'.  
She was sat by the stream for a while longer, however when she heard shouting she raced back towards the camp, hoping it meant Gilraen had woken up.


	7. Some Really Useful Advice (not)

When Gilraen woke up her body ached all over. She opened her tightly clenched eyelids to reveal a bright dappled light and three anxious faces looking at her.  
Gilraen tried to speak but her throat felt like sandpaper.  
"Hey mellon nin, drink this it will help," Tari's soothing voice said whilst Gilraen was helped to sit up.  
Leo handed her a steaming cup that Gilraen sipped from gratefully. She could taste each of the individual components that made up the sweet liquid: athleas, lobelia, comfrey and honey. Within moments she felt more alert and able to talk.  
"How…. How long was I out?" she croaked, looking to Tari for the time.  
"Six hours melui" Tari informed her, whilst checking her temperature "Do you feel up to moving?"  
Gilraen nodded and as she did so her stomach growled loudly. Leo and Jason cracked a small smile at this although, Gilraen noticed rather interestingly, Jason shot a slightly scared look at Tari before doing so. Gilraen laughed inside, it was obvious to her that Tari had gone all 'ice princess' and terrified him. She loved it when that happened, but was intrigued as to what had pushed Tari that far this time.  
She was shaken out of her thoughts by Tari handing her an apple and a piece of lembas.  
"Eat." Tari instructed her before stalking away to clear up the camp in true wood-elf fashion. By the time everyone else was packed up and ready to leave, Tari had transformed their camp so that it looked like no one had set foot in there other than rabbits or foxes.  
….  
The group set off again at a snail's pace for the place where the Argo 2.5 was parked. Everyone was more subdued than they had been the previous day; Jason and Leo's voices were quieter and they subconsciously glanced at the shadows more, like they could feel eyes watching them.  
Tari's ears pricked up as she heard sounds from the undergrowth behind her, glancing to her companions she noted that none of them had heard a thing. Maybe she was just being paranoid.  
There was the sound again, a soft padding on the undergrowth, sounding suspiciously like….  
Tari's eyes widened and she reached for her knives as the first creature jumped out of the undergrowth aiming for her head.  
She jabbed her knife upwards and impaled the creature through its neck.  
"Wargs!" she called out, alerting her companions as more of the wolf-like creatures attacked from behind her.  
As her message kicked in her companions whirled to face the wargs. Tari was just cursing her lack of maneuverability in her skirt when a skeletal hand broke through the earth, turning to look at her gwathel, Tari saw Gilraen had gone paler than normal.  
…  
When Gilraen heard the voice in her head, a deep one like rocks crashing together speaking in a language she didn't understand, her first instinct was to hide behind Tari – or Leo – somewhere safe at least. She was still shaky from her poisoning but she quashed this thought quickly as a message unveiled itself inside her head.  
"My special daughter," the voice said, "I have boosted you power in this one instance. Save my son. Do not fail me." At the last word the voice faded out. Gilraen looked up and saw Tari staring at her worriedly whilst a number of skeletal warriors stood behind her.  
Looking down, Gilraen saw her silver sword had been replaced by a freezing black blade – stygian iron, the name popped into her head. Gilraen felt a power surge through her body and pointed the sword at the skeletons who saluted her.  
"Kill the wargs." She coldly ordered and the skeletons set to work, dispatching the foul creatures with ease. As the last one was disposed of, the skeletons sank into the ground and Gilraen collapsed into an astonished Leo's arms. She breathed in the safe smell of smoke and slept, her eyes still open much to Tari's relief.  
….  
Jason was only vaguely aware of where they were when Tari made them set up camp for the night, claiming it was too dangerous for them to continue traveling at night but he worked out is was because she was tired, having been up all of the night before, fought and carried Gilraen for the rest of the day. She was just too proud to say so.  
He set up the camp the same way as before, with help from Leo, whilst Tari searched through the trees and returned with a selection of fragrant leaves and flowers and carrying a filled waterskin over her shoulder.  
Jason watched with interest as Tari ground some of the leaves up, boiled others and crushed the rest before using them on Gilraen in a number of ways. He saw her put them in a tea, spread them on wounds and bandage them against the cuts and bruises adorning Gilraen's body.  
Wondering what she was doing and how she knew what she was doing he piped up, "What is all that for Tari?"  
Tari looked at him for a few moments before answering him.  
"I am healing her. What I am doing is standard training for every warrior of Mirkwood. Some of the more, unorthodox, things I've just picked up. You learn that sort of thing after 500 years seeing your friends and colleagues get injured. Besides I learnt this aged 8, so I am well practised do not worry."  
Jason stared at her unsure of how to respond to that statement, he knew what it was like to be trained from a young age and expected to hold a position of power and responsibility. He thought twelve years of it was bad enough but she had had over 500!  
He felt an emotion he never would have expected in regards to Tari: sympathy.  
She'd been doing it for so much longer than he had, he was starting to realise why she was cold and sometimes appeared heartless. She'd lost so many people over the course of her long life she didn't want to get attached to anyone. He had to make her realise that her method wasn't necessarily the best one for dealing with loss.  
….  
That night Leo was visited in his dreams by his step-mother: Aphrodite.  
"Leo, honey, I have one eensy teensy bit of advice for you: don't hold back on your emotion for Gilraen. I have such a beautiful future planned out for you. Oh and there's something about to attack your camp. Toodles!"  
Leo woke up with a groan, cursing his step-mother. Why couldn't she ever give him any good advice? Or at least be more specific about the 'something' about to attack them!  
Oh well, he thought, at least we sort of got a warning.  
Just then there was a loud crashing sound as something heavy forced its way through the trees to their camp. Leo looked around and saw he was the only one conscious, Gilraen was in a trance like state, Jason was snoring so loudly they could probably hear it back at camp and Tari was nowhere to be seen.  
A large hideous Cyclops emerged from the destroyed forest behind him, laughing darkly and holding a stunned Tari by the leg.  
The creature spoke in a deep bone-splintering voice "He, He, He. Pretty girl for master. And food for me. Master will be happy."  
Leo was confused by what the Cyclops meant and worked out in his hyperactive mind that the best way he had for getting them all out alive was to keep the monster talking.  
"Hey, Ugly!" man, he thought, his insults were lame. He definitely needed to get some new ones, "Yeah, One –eye! Put down blondie!"  
Tari, having just become conscious enough to understand that, glared at him from her upside down position in the Cyclops' grasp.  
"And who is this 'master' you speak of dummy?" Leo kept up; ignoring the glare sent his way.  
The giant regarded him for a while. "No. I no put down girl. And master strong. Master powerful. Foolish matuurz. You have no chance."  
Well Leo thought he was saying "chance" anyway due to the fact a golden gladius impaled itself through the Cyclops' throat cutting it off midway through the word. The giant dissolved into a pile of golden dust and Tari landed awkwardly into the settling pile.  
She fought her way out of the pile causing Jason and Leo to stifle laughs; she was gilded in the gold monster essence and looked like a statue. She pointed one of her knives at Leo "Don't. Call. Me. Blondie." Her expression was so fierce Leo momentarily feared for his life, but it changed abruptly "Thanks for saving me though."  
…  
Tari pondered the words while she was on watch that night she could remember seeing a book in one of the various libraries she had visited in her life.  
"Strong", "Powerful", needed "pretty girl" and the black speech that the Cyclops spoke in, that surely wasn't normal, well neither was learning it but she wasn't a daughter of Athena for nothing…  
It struck her suddenly where she'd seen the references before: in the great library of Rivendell there was an ancient book in the section she wasn't supposed to look in. It was about the time before Sauron, it was actually about the time before most of the elves travelled to Middle Earth.  
The signs given out that….  
Tari's eyes widened, she had to warn everyone, her gaze flashed to the still unconscious Gilraen, she had to look after her friend as well though.  
Her mind quickly came up with a solution, she would just have to warn everyone at camp Half Blood instead and hope that a quest would be granted. One she and Gilraen were on as well.  
They had to warn their families about the rise of…..


	8. Nico's ALIVE

Annabeth was tending Nico when the Argo 2.5 was spotted coming in over camp. She rushed out to greet the questers, hoping they had managed to receive the vial.  
He heart leapt into her mouth when Gilraen had to be helped down the steps obviously unconscious, but was reassured when she saw Jason carrying a glass vial filled with a deep purple liquid. He rushed over to her by the door of the infirmary after pushing through the crowds of demigods surrounding him.  
He pushed the cold vial into her hand, "Here, Annie!"  
Annabeth was so preoccupied with getting the contents of the vial inside the comatose body of Nico that she ignored him calling her 'Annie'.  
She made her way to where Nico lay in the infirmary and jumped when Tari appeared behind her laying an unconscious Gilraen on to the bed next to Nico's.  
Tari took the vial from Annabeth with some urgency, and Annabeth watched anxiously as she tipped the viscous purple liquid into Nico's mouth.  
The was a moment of terror as nothing happened but gradually colour returned to his pallid cheeks and his breathing deepened returning to normal.  
Nico opened his eyes, to the relief of Annabeth and the ever-present Percy. They crowded around him, making sure both he and Gilraen were alright. In the hubbub Tari quietly slipped away, unseen by all.  
…  
Tari sat by the lake, twisting the band on her finger. She was impatient for the day she and Elrohir would finally be wed, after years of negotiations between the two kingdoms. Sometimes being a Princess truly sucked.  
She started to drift off, having not slept in three days due to Gilraen's condition. She tried to keep herself alert but eventually she couldn't fight against the feeling anymore and collapsed into a deep sleep, curled up in a ball on the beach next to the lake.  
….  
When Annabeth woke in her bunk in the Athena cabin the next morning with no sign of Tari having even set foot in the cabin at all, let alone inhabited her own bunk, to say she was worried was an understatement. She'd noticed how close her half sister was to collapsing the evening before and she hadn't done anything; being too caught up in the moment to register it properly.  
Her worries were only slightly relieved by a memory of Gilraen assuring her before they left that Tari was fully capable of caring for herself and was actually more comfortable outside than in. Annabeth smiled wryly at that, the conversation had come about after a similar event. That time they'd discovered Tari curled up in the branches of a tree watching the stars and sunrise.  
When Tari turned up for breakfast, Annabeth was glad to see her and only stopped herself from having a go at Tari for worrying her when she saw that Tari was still swaying slightly from exhaustion.  
She made Tari go back to the cabin, sure that she wouldn't be able to make it through that days activities. Especially since they had the rock wall today. She led Tari back to the cabin and confiscated her weapons, sure that if he allowed Tari to keep them she would continue to train.  
"Sleep," Annabeth ordered, telling herself she would check on her sister later. Shutting the door behind her she made her way to her activities, hoping she wouldn't have any more 'incidents' today.  
….  
Tari watched Annabeth leave the cabin from her bunk. As soon as her sister had gone she went to her pack to dig for the scroll she knew was contained inside. Technically she shouldn't have removed the scroll from the library at Mirkwood but that was one of the perks of being her. She could get away with stuff other elves couldn't.  
She unwound the scroll, being careful with the aged parchment; the scroll was covered with runes, rather than the Tengar script. She found them harder to read than the cursive Tengar but still much easier than the strange marks these humans called the 'alphabet'. Tari quickly found her marked place and continued to read.  
'….. a significant difference in the cultures and social hierarchy of Imladris, the ruling lord doesn't have as much power as the king. Quite the opposite in fact! He relies on the counsel of others before making any marked decision, even in wartime…."  
Tari's eyes started to glaze as she read about the customs of Rivendell, as described by a traveller from Mirkwood around half a millennia ago.  
…  
Annabeth smiled as she checked in on her sister later in the day. Tari was curled up on her bunk with a half rolled scroll next to her, her eyes glazed over as she slept. Annabeth could sill recall the shock she'd had the first time she'd seen the way Tari slept, she'd thought something was wrong. She certainly was please to be told it was when Tari slept with her eyes shut that something was actually wrong. So all in all she was pleased to see Tari's eyes open.  
The gong had just gone for lunch so Annabeth attempted to wake Tari up without losing an eye from the knife stored under her defensive sister's pillow.  
"Tari…. Tari… Wake up…." Her tentative voice didn't work so she tried a new tactic, "Tari, we're under attack!"  
Tari bolted up, her knife out in front of her, she looked around frantically and when unable to see any enemies glared at Annabeth.  
Annabeth had to struggle to contain her giggles, "Sorry Tari, but its lunch time. And you need to eat something."  
Tari persisted in her glare for a little while longer before bounding to the door. Annabeth shook her head at her antics and the pair made their way to the dining pavilion.  
….  
The weeks passed by in a haze up until Christmas, Tari and Gilraen watched with interest as campers went home to be with their families for the holidays. The threat was almost forgotten, but only almost. Tari spent all of her free time studying scrolls she had brought with her from Mirkwood and books she had filched from the camps library or Annabeth's shelves.  
A few weeks before the holidays Chiron called the pair to the Big House.  
"My dears, a missive has come through from your families, they would be pleased if you went home to them for the midwinter festival. The letter sounded rather, ahh, concerned that if you remained here you might, ummm, damage the camp?"  
Tari and Gilraen exchanged glances, their eyes lit up at the same time. Gilraen was especially pleased; she hadn't seen her mother for nearly a year. In fact she hadn't seen her mother since she'd been sent away from Gondor for education in Rivendell.  
"Oh, that, well we would love to see our families again. But could we commandeer some transport please?"  
Chiron agreed and the pair ran off to pack, excited at the thought of going home again, especially for the ni-rhîw festival.  
….  
Tari looked at the few possessions she had accumulated since arriving at Camp Half Blood, they were a pitiful representation of the months she had spent with her other half-siblings and new friends.  
A small pile of books; a t-shirt and jeans she refused to wear; some boots, hair ties and photos. Hardly much to show she had ever lived in the Athena cabin.  
She heard Gilraen calling outside and stuffed the items into her bag, with one last quick glance around the empty cabin; Tari shouldered it and left, the door softly swung back into place behind her.  
Tari looked at the Pegasus she'd been lent with apprehension; normal horses were bad enough but flying ones? No way did she trust one enough to get back home on the creature's back!  
On the other hand though…. Gilraen was ecstatic over the whole idea of flying, even though the pegasi shied away from her smell. And Tari couldn't bring herself to do anything to disappoint her friend…  
Steeling herself she went over to the winged horse and stroked its mane, "Hey there roch, I've never done this before so play nice ok?"  
She could have sworn the creature rolled its eyes at her. Tari climbed onto its back, her body tense as it took off.  
Slowly though she allowed herself to relax, the steady repetitive flapping of the wing was soothing and the sea glistening below was beautiful in the sun.  
Soon the two of them were above the dark green forest of Mirkwood, the pegasi set down in the clearing in front of the palace to the shock of the elves forming a greeting party for the delegation from Gondor.  
Tari blushed when she saw the looks on everyone's faces, especially when she realised she was in her tunic. Not particularly appropriate for meeting a foreign delegation.  
Although, she grinned to herself, at least her embarrassment wasn't anywhere as bad as that of Gilraen's. Her MOTHER was a member of the royal party and Arwen was a stickler for her daughter being well presented.  
Tari curtsied hoping to save face, "Your majesties, I sincerely apologise for our abrupt entrance and hope your journey wasn't too strenuous" She realised that her deportment and elocution lessons had paid off, much as she had hated them.  
Her father covered a smile, "Yes we all hope you had a smooth journey. Would you like to come in to freshen up before the festivities begin? I'm sure you are all exhausted."  
The party all entered the halls where they were shown to rooms worthy of their status. Tari managed to escape to her room before her father caught up with her so that she too could freshen up.  
Inside her room she washed quickly and changed into one of her riding gowns. It was formal enough in silver-slashed green to make the outfit appropriate but had split skirts so was more comfortable for Tari, used to as she was to leggings and a tunic.  
There was a knock on her door as she dragged a comb through her tangled curls, "Come in!" Tari called hoping it wasn't her father.  
Legolas entered, "Really Istari? You couldn't make a bigger entrance if you tried could you? But nice save Tari."  
She glared at him but didn't stop the coronet of braids she was attempting. She groaned as it all fell apart "Stupid hair!" she growled turning her glare to the image in the mirror. Her brother shook his head and batted her hands out of the way as he moved behind her.  
"You should really learn to do this yourself. Your darling brother isn't always going to be around to do this for you, you know" He skilfully wove her hair into a coronet using a green ribbon, swift with centuries of practise.  
"But 'las, why would I learn to do this myself? You're always there when I need you!"  
He tied off the end of the ribbon and softly hit her on the head with her comb. "Come on, we're needed in the Great Hall. Ada wants us to be there when the guests enter... Not five minutes late as usual!"  
The two left for the hall, gently bickering and teasing one another.  
...  
Meanwhile Gilraen had been accosted by her Mother's ladies maid, Elwing, who dragged her into her room where she proceeded to garb her in one of the many gowns Gilraen left in Mirkwood.  
As soon as she'd finished he mother entered the room too and embraced her daughter.  
"Goodness, my dear, I thought you'd miss the ni-rhîw festival! I am so glad you're here. Although," she looked at Gilraen's attire appraisingly "I am so glad you are out of those awful revealing clothes. They were in no way appropriate. I shall be having some word with Istari about that later. Letting you walk around like that, it is positively scandalous!"  
She continued on that spiel for a while, fussing around Gilraen's clothing and exclaiming at how tall she'd got until the gong went for dinner.  
"Well come along then dear," her mother said, "I don't know what I was thinking standing here talking. We'll be late!" She glided out of the room holding Gilraen's sleeve to stop her from escaping.  
Gilraen trailed her mother resigned to her fussing and incessant chatter. It was her way of showing she'd been worried.  
…  
After the meal the two royal families sat in the family room where they chatted and traded stories. Tari and Legolas smirked in the corner with Aragon at the way Arwen hadn't let go of Gilraen. They could see the look of restrained annoyance on her face but didn't wish to help her; it would take much more for them to even think about incurring the wrath of Arwen.  
That had happened once before and it hadn't been pretty, even Aragon now stepped carefully around his wife when she was fussing over Gilraen.  
Thranduil cleared his throat and stood, looking around the room at his family and friends he announced "Tomorrow is the festival, I wish you all a brilliant time and remember; tomorrow there are no classes! We are all equal for the whole day and titles are forgotten."  
Arwen muttered a little under her breath at the reminder but otherwise everyone was satisfied, Tari liked it because it was the one day a year she could speak with everyone else and debate without them treating her differently because her parentage was obvious, at the worst the people she spoke with thought her to be a noble. Her brother liked it for the same reasons, although his identity was obvious once the archery contests took place.  
They all settled back to the activities they'd been doing before, looking forward to the following day.  
…  
Tari woke up as the sun rose; she was excited for the day ahead. Dressing in her best pale green and grey riding dress, she quickly pulled her hair back into a simple braid down her back with a piece of grey ribbon and slipped on her boots.  
She pulled her bow and quiver from the wall and slipped them onto her back with a dagger belted at her waist.  
There was a soft knock on her door and Legolas entered her room, dressed similarly to herself. "Come on Tari," he whispered, pulling her out into the corridor after him.  
"Sorry 'las," she hissed, "But some of us actually have to wear dresses today if we want to look incognito"  
Her brother laughed softly as they made their way down the corridor to where Gilraen's room was. They'd just arrived at her door when the dark haired elf slipped out, "shh!" she whispered, "Naneth is in the room next door and I don't wish her to see me like this!" Gilraen gestured to her blue riding dress and the weapon at her waist. "She'd have me in a ball gown if she could!"  
The three slipped through the kitchens, collecting their cloaks on the way and snatching a bread roll from the table to break their fast.  
Once outside they made their way to the podium where Thranduil had agreed to meet his two children, he was stood there waiting, also in more sober clothing than usual.  
"Ah, hîn," he said as he saw his son and daughter, "I thought I would catch you this early. Anyway here is your spending money for the day, and Legolas, the archery competitions start at midmorning. Try not to beat them all – again." He handed the two a purse bulging with coins, "Oh, and Gilraen, Aragon told me to give this to you." He passed her a purse also full of coins.  
"Thank you!" the three chorused.  
Thranduil smiled, "Have fun! Don't start any fights. And stay safe!"  
The three of them wandered around together for a while, looking at the stalls and the craft presentations but soon spilt up. Legolas spotted Aragon and the two went off to sign up for some of the competitions later that day; Tari went on a hunt for the discussions; and Gilraen started her avoidance strategy, she just went off in the opposite direction to wherever her mother was likely to be.  
Tari found the discussions fairly quickly; she just followed the raised voices until she came across the elves arguing over points of history. She soon joined in and spent an agreeable hour merrily debating the finer points of the Battle of the Five Armies and the Fall of Numenour.  
As she conceded her final point to an elder an announcement was made that it was the final call for people to sign up for the archery competition as it was starting soon. Tari ran to the sign up booth and just managed to get her name down before it closed. She caught sight of her brother and Aragon off to the side, Legolas was giving some coins to Aragon with a downcast look on his face. She sidled up to them, "What was that for brother dear?" she smiled sweetly.  
Her brother gulped, "Umm," he looked to Aragon for support who laughed and held his hands up out of the way. "Well, we certainly weren't placing bets on whether or not you'd be here in time to sign up or not, and I definitely didn't lose aforementioned bet..." he grinned at her sheepishly. Tari sighed, shook her head and punched him in the arm.  
...  
As they lined up in their places for the competition there was a crash, screaming and shouts in orcish, off to the right and panic quickly spread through the assembled elves as whispers made their way along the rows.  
Thranduil stood up, all anonymity forgotten, to try and calm his frightened subjects. "Settle down. Settle down!" he called, a hush settled on the gathering as they waited for instructions, he continued "Will all non-combatants make their way to the halls, whilst combatants find your commander and await further instructions."  
There was mass movement across the grounds as groups broke off, everyone was silent other than the group commanders calling out the names of their platoons.  
Tari stood on the edge of the field calling those she commanded to her side, "orn-mahtar! Orn-mahtar"  
Her warriors flocked to her side and as she was just about to issue the orders a deep voice boomed...


	9. Brother and Sister Bondiing

All the elves turned looking for the source of the voice. It boomed again, "You are all ants under me. You celebrate my downfall with your pathetic festival but I am returned. Bow before me"  
There was some confusion among the armed elves but Tari knew who was speaking she turned to her platoon, "Prepare to fire on my order. Nock but do not draw. Nock your arrows I said!" all of her group nocked their arrows, "Now aim, look into the trees. Aim for the orcs. They're at the edge now, aim, draw and... FIRE!" They released their arrows into the tree line and squeals of pain could be heard. The squeals shocked the other elves out of their reverie and they all began to fire at the orcs attempting to sneak up on the halls.  
As they broke the tree line the elves attacked more furiously than before, orcs fell at their feet but so did some elves. The wounded were rushed off the field if it was possible to reach them but many were left lying where they had fallen, clutching limbs and trying to staunch the blood flowing out of slashes over their bodies.  
Tari could feel a blade graze her cheek as one orc ran at her; it narrowly missed doing much worse than that. She faced it trying to draw her knife from its sheath but it jammed, she tugged harder as the orc raised its ugly black blade and just as she'd given up and was accepting her fate when the silver point of a knife poked through its chest. The creature keeled over to reveal a grinning Legolas,  
"Having a little trouble there Istari?"  
She glared at him before smirking, "How many now 'las?"  
"37" his grin widened proudly, sure that she wouldn't beat him.  
Tari shot over his shoulder "Ah, poor ickle 'las. I just beat you. That was my 38th."  
He narrowed his eyes at her, "You're on"  
Soon the orcs were retreating back to the mountains; some of the soldiers were left to defend against stragglers and Thranduil called a war council.  
Tari and Legolas met outside of the council chambers where they traded their final scores, Legolas had beaten Tari again by one. When she heard the news Tari started to pout, she always was beaten by one.  
She stopped though when she saw Aragon and Gilraen coming down the corridor whilst comforting a distraught Arwen. The two entered the council where chaos ruled; everyone was shouting and arguing over who the voice was and what they meant. Tari tried to speak to them but couldn't be heard over the hubbub.  
She looked at her brother dismayed. She had information on the threat, information they needed! And they refused to listen!  
Seeing the expression on his little sister's face Legolas shouted for silence over the chaotic hall. The noise subsided into a shocked silence. He looked over at Tari and motioned for her to speak.  
"Thank you Legolas," Tari said, moving to stand so that everyone could see her, "I have been researching this threat for a while, since I was attacked by orcs in Camp. This, combined with Gandalf's ability to send Gilraen and me through the protective shroud surrounding Arda, made me suspicious of the walls breaking between our two worlds. I started to research this in their libraries and found little but when I returned here I hit the, proverbial, jackpot. Numerous scrolls from before Mirkwood was created, detailing the signs of Morgoth breaking free. What we are experiencing now is only the start, the voice is that of Morgoth's and he will not stop, now that he has set his gaze on us, until he has destroyed Mirkwood and all of its inhabitants."  
After Tari made her announcement to the Council there was a deafening silence. Then the news sunk in and there was uproar as everyone tried to make themselves heard. A few tried denying it, others looked for someone to blame and a very small proportion tried to work out how it could possibly be true.  
Tari attempted to quieten them down so she could continue but they wouldn't listen. Eventually Thranduil was reduced to shouting for silence. A hush fell upon the room but as Tari was about to continue the voice returned, echoing through the cavernous halls, loud enough to make the dwarves in Erebour stop working to listen.  
"Oh you clever, clever little elves! So wise of you to figure out my name!" It crooned, "Yes, I am Melkor, greatest of the Valar, and you shall all kneel before me!"  
The elves started to mutter but the voice spoke again and a hush blanketed the room,  
"If you do as I say, none will be harmed. Disobey and I will crush you like ants! Give me one of Vaile's blood. The weaver's child. The one you say slayed Ungoliant's daughter in the battle against my servant during your so called War of the Ring. Bring me Aranel Celebalasse Istari! Bring her to my Ancient Stronghold in the mountains. You have until penninor. Do not fail me."  
The voice faded out and the entire Council stared blankly for a few minutes, but, as soon as they came to, everyone turned to look at Tari. Her brother and father watched sadly as she pulled her emotionless mask on. They knew it well as it had sustained her through many injuries on patrol, annoyed the healers constantly and had meant they'd nearly lost her on several occasions over the years. They both hated and feared it slightly for it meant they had no idea what was going on inside her head.  
Thranduil opened his mouth to speak but Tari began before he could, her quiet voice carrying across the silently staring elves.  
"If it is the will of the people that I go, I will be where I am meant to on the penninor; I will not struggle and I will accept my fate." Her brother opened his mouth to protest but she silenced him with one look. Her voice heated as Tari continued:  
"But is that really what we want? We who fought the Shadow for years and still fight? We the warrior elves of Middle earth renowned for our fighting prowess? I will be there on the penninor no matter what, but it is up to the people whether I will go quietly and probably increase his chances of winning or whether I fight until my last breath! Who is with me in preferring the latter?"  
A cheer went up around the room and Legolas looked proudly at his little sister. His expression changed to worry as he saw her suddenly stumble and press a hand to her forehead.  
Tari could feel her brother's eyes on her but the implications didn't sink in as Morgoth's voice pounded into her skull.  
"Foolish child," it spat "had you put aside your pride for but a moment all would have been well but now, now I need to break your spirit. I wonder how long you will remain defiant after watching your home burn and family die? And not just this one, that pathetic camp you are so fond of on the other side of the water will go too. Just think, all of it will be your fault. Poor child, until next time..."  
As the voice faded out Tari knew what she had to do, Mirkwood could defend itself. She needed to warn Camp Half Blood.  
...  
As soon as she politely could Tari made her excuses and left the room, meaning she had to endure meaningless conversation for at least an hour before she could escape. She hurried through the corridors, trying to look busy enough that no one would speak with her.  
She soon reached a staircase in one of the back corridors, forgotten by all but a few, Tari allowed herself to run. She ran up the stairs as fast as she could, barely hindered by her heavy divided skirts. her hair came out of its braid and cascaded around her face in a blonde curtain. She ran until she reached the top of the staircase where, heart pounding and breath coming in ragged gasps, Tari unlocked an aged wooded door with the key she kept in the pouch at her waist.  
Leaving the door unlocked Tari entered the small room, pleased to see that its contents hadn't been touched as shown by the thin coating of dust over the furniture. The loom still stood in the centre with her half woven tapestry in place, her thread cabinet and stool were the only pieces of furniture in the room. But it had a window, a rare thing indeed in a palace extending deep into the rock face.  
Sunlight streamed gently into the room and lit up the bright colours on her half-woven tapestry on its loom as well as its finished brethren coating the walls. This had always been Tari's hiding place; somewhere she could cry and think. Next to no one knew about it and as she sat at the loom and continued her weaving, Tari was waiting for one who did know.  
She'd completed another section of the image – a young Gilraen as a present for Arwen – when the person she was waiting for entered.  
Legolas stepped into his little sister's hideout; he could see the tear tracks glistening on her cheeks and the deliberate concentration with which she wove the threads together. He stood there for a moment just watching her work but as another tear rolled down her cheek he moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her too thin frame. He could feel that she had lost weight since the last time she was in Mirkwood and wondered why. He was shaken out of his thoughts as Tari leant back into his hold and he gently lifted her so that he could settle them both with their backs against the wall.  
His younger sister curled into his chest and started to sob quietly, her tears slowly soaking the shoulder of his shirt. Legolas merely held her for a while; patting her back and allowing her to cry and take comfort from the close proximity to the one person she trusted completely.  
After a time had passed and the light streaming through the window had dimmed Tari started to calm.  
"What is the matter nethig?" Legolas asked, using a pet name from when they were both very young to calm her even more.  
"It's all my fault," she mumbled into his shoulder "He is going to destroy everyone and it is all my fault..."  
Legolas manoeuvred her upright so he could look directly into his little sister's eyes.  
"Tari," he began to say, his tone sincere, "It is not your fault. Morgoth would have found an excuse to try and kill us all anyway. Ok? And besides you shouldn't have so little faith in us," he attempted to joke, "We are the 'warrior elves' after all I am sure we can look after ourselves."  
Tari shook her head in a distressed manner, "No," she moaned, "It's not just Mirkwood. He said he would try and destroy my friends in camp too. They are barely recovered from the last war. How in Arda will they cope?"  
Legolas smiled gently at his sister "I tell you what, how about we go and warn your friends at camp?"  
Tari peered suspiciously into her brother's green eyes, "You would do that? For me?"  
He hugged her, worried about the 'for me' tagged on the end. What had happened to her? "Of course! When have I ever lied to you?"  
Tari smirked slightly, "well, what about the time when you said you would catch me if I fell out of that tree and I ended up in the hospital with a broken leg because you were too busy talking to your friend? Or the time when you said it was safe to go to the kitchen and steal cake because there was no one around and we got caught by the cook? Or the time when..."  
Legolas clamped his hand over her mouth, "Ok, ok. I guess I have lied to you a little bit but never about anything important! So of course I will help you. What do we need to do?"


	10. Rachel Vomits Green Smoke

Annabeth looked up from the dining pavilion to see a flash of blonde whipping in the wind at the top of Half-Blood hill. Grinning slightly as she recognised its distinctive hue, Annabeth abandoned the Athena table and ran to the hill.  
As she reached the base of the hill, Annabeth realised that, whilst there were two figures at the top of the hill, neither had dark hair. Maybe Gilraen had her hair tied back or tucked under a hood or something; she had never known the pair to separate for long...  
The mystery resolved itself as she arrived on top of the hill: there was no Gilraen. But there was Tari there. After seeing Tari Annabeth rubbed her eyes and stared at the pair again... there were TWO versions of her sister.  
Walking closer to the pair Annabeth's original vision intensified, the two figures were pretty much identical. It was only when she was right next to her sister and her sister's doppelganger (as she'd so lovingly dubbed the other figure) that she could see the differences. Eye colour was the most noticeable, instead of the typical grey eyes so iconic of children of Athena; the doppelganger had bright green eyes more akin to the shade of a leaf than anything else. Then she noticed that the doppelganger was, in fact, male. His slenderness and Tari's build had her believing he was female... Annabeth blushed slightly in embarrassment at her original belief.  
She opened her mouth to greet her sister and inquire as to the lack of Gilraen but Tari cut her off with a torrid rush of speech.  
"Has anything attacked the Camp, as is worse than usual? Have there been any creatures that don't dissolve at the touch of celestial bronze or imperial gold? Is everyone alright..."  
Annabeth held up a hand to stop Tari, "There have been a few incidents... and a few sent to the infirmary but no deaths. Can I ask why?"  
Tari shut her eyes tightly and whispered something unintelligible. Annabeth craned to hear it and could hear only a mumble but the doppelganger stiffened.  
Annabeth could gradually hear her sister getting louder and louder as she began to chant the same phrase over and over again "It's all my fault... all my fault"  
Tari's eyes flew open as she shouted it for the last time; "IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" she than stood quivering slightly and panting, whilst Annabeth and the doppelganger looked at her both slightly shocked and both very concerned.  
When she deemed that Tari had calmed enough to break the silence Annabeth gently asked "Why is it your fault?"  
"Because I'm a stubborn prideful idiot" Tari whispered.  
"Ok... Why are you a stubborn prideful idiot?"  
Tari looked at the floor. "I was given the unspoken choice... give up and surrender peacefully or see..." here her voice choked up and she had to take a deep breath before continuing," See everything and everyone I love destroyed! I refused to surrender and now all of you are in danger!"  
Annabeth could feel a headache coming on.  
"Danger from what exactly?"  
Tari breathed one word, her voice laced with fear; "Morgoth"  
Annabeth stared at her sister with an uncomprehending expression "Who – or what – is this 'Morgoth' you speak of? Surely they cannot be quite that bad."  
Tari started to cry and couldn't answer; this meant that Annabeth was required to look to the doppelganger in the hope that he might have the answer. He looked back at her with his piercing green eyes seemingly trying to work out whether it was genuine confusion and not just a trick to further torment Tari. He was obviously satisfied with what he discovered in her face as he answered in a soft melodic voice, speaking for the first time since meeting Annabeth.  
"Morgoth is an evil entity fixated on destroying everything," Tari let out a loud sob and her tears continued to stream down her face, the doppelganger (Annabeth really needed to learn his name, she couldn't believe that Tari had forgotten to mention it... although she had been through a lot lately), pulled Tari to his chest and stroked her hair gently in an attempt to sooth her. When she had quieted slightly he continued with his answer:  
"Morgoth was defeated by the Valar millennia ago and imprisoned. Somehow he is free – free to exact his revenge. And for that," he looked sadly down at Tari's head, "He needs Tari"  
Annabeth massaged the sides of her head as she looked at the pair, "Ok, we will double the guard and increase training. Morgoth will just be the latest in a line of evil mythological entities that have tried to destroy Camp... and none have succeeded yet!"  
Her optimistic tone made Tari lift her head and turn to look at the daughter of Athena, she smiled slightly and Annabeth was pleased to see the tears cease.  
"Well then" Tari started a little confidence returning to her tone, "to defeat Morgoth there is one thing we will need from Camp: a Quest."  
...  
Legolas gazed around the camp his sister was so fond of. He looked at all of the human children running around in orange t-shirts, carrying weapons and smiled pityingly, they were so young!  
The blonde mortal Tari had introduced him to earlier - Annie? Annabelle? Annabeth? - approached him, she was out of breath like she had been running, although, he reflected, he was stood at the top of a hill.  
"Legolas?" she asked "There is someone here asking for you."  
He looked her directly in the eye, "Then direct me to them."  
The two walked down the hill towards a large blue house, on the porch stood two figures; a centaur and a slim dark haired lady that he easily recognised.  
He bowed to the lady, "Vána, my lady, it is good to see you again. I trust all is well?"  
At the same time as he greeted the goddess so did Annabeth "My lady Persephone,"  
The goddess smiled kindly at him, although her form flickered slightly between dark haired whilst wearing a chiton and golden haired wearing a full length green and gold gown.  
"Thranduillion," she addressed Legolas, her form stabilising in its Greek form. "It has been many years since last we spoke. I council you now – and you child of Athena – to beware. This coming fight will need all your combined strength, both elves and demigods. Because of Tari and Gilraen we gods cannot assist you as much as in the previous wars. Our blood is already on both sides of the forces, through the demigods at Camp and your sister and cousin..."  
She looked as if she was going to continue speaking but at that moment Tari ran up to the porch, closely followed by a sweaty, out of breath Leo.  
"My lady," she curtseyed.  
Persephone gazed at her sadly, "My dear, we are forbidden from helping you directly in the upcoming fight against Morgoth. You know what this means do you not?"  
Tari nodded and met the goddess's eyes bravely, the others just looked at the pair in confusion so Persephone sighed and decided to elaborate.  
"Channelling my power counts as direct help and so," she sighed again and raised a hand "I release you from my service."  
A green glow surrounded Tari and Legolas was forced to watch as his sister fell to the floor unconscious. A serene expression graced her features and she looked to be more at peace than she had been for years.  
Legolas turned back to the goddess who was gazing sadly at the prone form of Tari. She too turned to face Legolas and Annabeth with green sorrow filled eyes.  
"She will be fine. The process did not require unconsciousness but I thought it best in this situation. She has been barely sleeping for months now, the same with eating, this is as she has been so focused and desperate to prepare for the next few weeks."  
A voice spoke in Legolas' head as Persephone finished speaking "She's been having the nightmares again," he looked at the goddess in shock but she merely smiled sadly before continuing with a grimace.  
"Yes, she has been researching the rise of Morgoth; she read so much that she knew the signs. Tari just thought you would have a little more time."  
The pair looked at their sibling with more than a little pride and when they turned back again to the goddess she was gone.  
...  
Tari woke up once again in the infirmary, her brother by her bedside and a worried healer nearby. Instantly she was transported back into her childhood where she seemed to be in the infirmary more often than not, generally with her brother in the bed next to hers after the two had injured themselves yet again doing something foolish. Then Annabeth spoke and she was reminded of where she actually was.  
"Tari?" her sister asked and Tari just groaned in response, she was too tired to be bothered with coherent speech. "Tari?"  
Tari groaned again but after Annabeth repeated her names a few more times and her brother poked her in the side, she decided it wasn't worth the effort and got up.  
Annabeth breathed an obvious sigh of relief that Tari glared at her for, that was the best night's sleep she'd had in, well, ages and she was not pleased to be woken up. Not pleased at all.  
She then diverted the glare to her brother who had just 'whispered' to Annabeth that she was not a morning person. She very much was a morning person! Just not if it was still dark outside when she had to get up. Or the light was any less bright than the midday sun. But other than that she was most definitely a morning person... even if most people did disagree.  
She watched her brother carefully as he made his way round to where she stood, he was holding a steaming cup in front of him like a peace offering and she grudgingly accepted it. Taking a sip Tari smiled and could begin to feel herself waking up properly, the cup was the brewed herbs she normally had each morning, and she didn't even know that Legolas had brought them with him!  
Oh well, she reflected after finishing the drink, if she was awake she was awake and there was no point standing around in the infirmary like an idiot, there was work to be done! Strolling out of the room her ears picked up on something and so Tari stopped at the door frame.  
"See," Legolas was talking to Annabeth "A blend of honey and our special herb mixture and she is hyperactive and full of energy. The healers discovered this by accident and since then have refused to ever give her any of them."  
She smirked slightly as she heard Annabeth ask her brother what was in the blend and he admitted that he didn't know. Only Tari and the healers knew that it was just dried mint leaves...  
...  
That evening as they were all sat around the campfire singing songs and roasting marshmallows, Rachel suddenly stood up. Green smoke poured forth from her mouth and as she began to speak her voice, normally warm and friendly, was raspy and cold.  
"9 to make the dark one fall,  
Elves and demigods take up the call,  
For the weaver's child knowledge is key,  
Or the end of arda we shall see,  
Mandos' young flees the halls,  
And Orthanc finally falls."  
As quickly as she had stood the red head collapsed into the arms of a waiting camper. Hush fell over the campers as they pondered the words of the prophecy and tried to understand the context of the words they had no knowledge of.  
As discussion started up again Tari could feel her courage drop; she was the only one with any idea of what this prophecy could be about, the only one who had done any research and the only one who knew half of the words mentioned.  
Chiron was stood at the front of the gathering and shouted for silence, so eager were the demigods for news regarding the prophecy they were immediately quiet.  
"Thank you. If any of you have any information regarding this prophecy please come forwards."  
There was an expectant feeling in the air and, taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, Tari stood.  
"I know what this 'prophecy' regards. Long has the Dark One's rising been foretold among my people."  
Chiron looked at Tari askance for the way she phrased her answer but invited her and the cabin leaders to the council in order to discuss her knowledge on the matter.  
...  
Annabeth was sat next to Percy at the ping-pong table that doubled as their council table and she silently willed her sister to be careful with what she gave away to the cabin leaders.  
She could see her sister stood at the front, and the normally quite calm girl was all of a sudden nervous and obviously so, well at least to Annabeth anyway.  
As soon as everyone was settled Tari started to speak, she started off by introducing herself fully, and Annabeth noticed that the only ones not surprised by the revelation were Leo and herself. She had suspected that Tari wasn't telling the whole truth for quite a while now and Leo had found out on the quest earlier that year.  
Then she proceeded to explain that the 'dark one' was just another name for Morgoth, the evil entity she and Legolas had explained to her about earlier that week. Tari finished off by explaining who the 'elves' mentioned in the prophecy were and how many demigods would be needed.  
Now all they needed to do was choose who those lucky demigods would be.


	11. Family Time in Minas Tirith

Gilraen glared at her mother from the back of her horse, why in arda did she have to go back to Gondor with her mother and stepfather? Sure Aragon was nice and all but she didn't really fit in, Aragon already had a son and several daughters, he certainly didn't need a stepchild who was centuries older than him! Besides she always stood out like a sore thumb when with the rest of her 'family' she didn't really look like any of her half-siblings, to be quite honest Hazel shared more features with Gilraen than Eldarion, Elanor or Niphredil the only one she even looked semi-related to was Tinúviel and that was because they both had their mother's hair and skin type!  
So no, Gilraen would have much rather gone with Tari and Legolas back to Camp but noooo her mother insisted she travel back to Gondor with them and become a lady, although, a small part of Gilraen's brain admitted shyly, it was quite nice to have her mother paying attention to her; something that hadn't happened for over half a century – and even then it was only to introduce her to Aragon.  
Even before her mother's infatuation and then marriage to Aragon, Gilraen reflected sadly, her mother had never had much time for her since she was a small child. Gilraen was, in all honesty, a child born from an unmarried mother and, whilst not looked down on as much as in human (especially Gondorian) society, it was frowned upon. After Gilraen was old enough for Arwen to leave her she left for Loth Lorien and Gilraen was cared for by a host of nurses as well as her uncles and valaramil. Her guardians were more like older siblings than parents, probably due to that fact that they were only a century or two older than herself and so Gilraen had grown up knowing very little in the way of parental figures.  
If she was to be perfectly honest with herself, Gilraen knew that it was only the thought of losing her eldest daughter after the attack and the fact that Mirkwood was no longer safe that had prompted the sudden return of motherly concern for her daughter.  
But, Gilraen promised herself, she would enjoy the feeling of belonging to her mother once again; it would be nice to delude herself that once the danger had passed Arwen would be proud to keep her daughter by her side.  
...  
Arwen watched her eldest child sadly as they made camp on the banks of the Rauros Falls, she knew that she had not been there for a large portion of her daughter's life but she had been so young when she had given birth to the elleth, it had been hard to care for the child and know that she was responsible for her entire well being. Especially as she was born so shortly after Arwen's own mother had sailed to the undying lands.  
As soon as she had deemed that Gilraen was old enough to survive without her, like a coward, she had fled. She had left her tiny daughter in the hands of her twin brothers and best friend and now Arwen regretted that every day. Years ago she had tried to make amends, during the War of the Ring when Elladan and Elrohir had sent Gilraen to Imladris for safety and Mirkwood was too overrun with for Gilraen to escape to the comfort and security of her valaramil, but her daughter did not trust her. She did not open up and it hurt Arwen to see the fear in Gilraen's eyes that, if she did open up to her mother, Arwen would just abandon her again and leave Tari, Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir to mend the broken pieces of her trust.  
It probably didn't help her case either with the fact that Legolas was a member of the fellowship and Gilraen was too worried for the brotherly figure in her life to put much effort in attempting to reunite with her mother.  
She started to make some headway with Gilraen, they chatted about things of no consequence, discussed trivial things such as the colour and shape of gowns and Arwen watched her child train as a warrior, feeling pangs of regret the entire time.  
Then, just as she was making a breakthrough with her daughter, news came that Sauron had been defeated and the court of Imladris prepared desperately for the upcoming wedding between Arwen and Aragon. Gilraen had closed herself off again on the journey and, as soon as they arrived in Minas Tirith headed straight for her uncles and the delegation from Mirkwood. It broke Arwen's heart once more at the fresh loss of her eldest child.  
Then came her other, mortal, children whom she loved and guarded fiercely, but with each new addition to her family with Aragon Gilraen avoided meeting with them all more and more. Now they only acted as mother and daughter in public when the need arose.  
The attack on Mirkwood she merely viewed as another way she could attempt to reconcile with Gilraen, she demanded that Gilraen come home with them to Minas Tirith. She didn't realise that Gilraen wished to travel with Tari and Legolas to this 'Camp' or that she viewed it as an insult to not be allowed to go with them.  
Oh well, she thought, I will have plenty of time to try and earn her forgiveness and trust, or at least I should be able to show her that I do care about her and that I most certainly will not abandon her if she needs me.  
...  
As the procession arrived in Minas Tirith they were met with great celebration, years had passed from the War of the Ring and the return of the king to the throne, yet the city still celebrated the monarchy's return as though it were only a month ago.  
Flowers were strewn on the pavement and the population cheered as the king and queen rode into their capital city accompanied by their retainers and courtiers. Very few people noticed the elf girl riding behind their queen and if they did they merely assumed she was a favoured courtier or a new ambassador from the woodland realm.  
Upon reaching the palace the procession were greeted by the council, eager to gain favour with the king. Aragon however brushed them off, proclaiming he and his wife were exhausted from travel and merely wished to retire, that the issues and petitions they wanted to present to him could would until morning, and so they left him.  
Gilraen followed her mother and stepfather to the family chambers as she was bidden and did so only partially reluctantly. She was eager to see her siblings again, although had no desire to grow too attached to them, after all they were mortal and she was not... although she supposed it was already too late not to get attached to one of them...  
She entered the chamber and was immediately pounced on by a small girl with long dark hair and a porcelain complexion. She looked down at the figure in shock before realising who it was and breaking into a huge grin that lit up her face, "Tinúviel! Melui, how are you? Still annoying Eldarion I hope?"  
The child giggled and nodded into Gilraen's chest, "Of course," she stage whispered, "I followed your instructions exactly, it was hilarious!"  
As the other children in the room heard that, the only boy turned to his elf half-sister and his full sister and stuck his tongue out, blowing a raspberry as he did so.  
Arwen turned away from her twins at that point and had to stop herself smiling at the happy scene in front of her, instead she made herself chastise all three. The sulky expression on her two mortal children's faces were amusing and nearly had her laughing but the expression of shock on Gilraen's face hurt her as she realised that it was the first time in years she had told Gilraen off that was not related to the family's reputation.  
She quickly shook off the hurt though as she witnessed all of her children playing happily together and Gilraen acting like part of a properly functioning family for the first time in well... ages, quite literally!  
"Tinúviel," she called and her middle child jumped up instantly, "be a dear and show Gilraen to her rooms please, I am sure she still remembers where they are but just in case..."  
Arwen smiled as she watched her only mortal child that looked like her elven child lead Gilraen out of the room, it was so nice to see them all playing nice. She turned back to the rest of her family and instantly had to break up a fight between the twins – honestly Elanor and Niphredil were worse than Elladan and Elrohir sometimes!  
...  
Gilraen followed her favourite sibling down the corridors, happily listening to the girl's incessant chatter. She smiled as they reached a set of doors that Gilraen remembered from the last time she was in Minas Tirith – the twin's first birthday. A day that was four years ago now.  
She pushed open the doors and was greeted with bright sunlight and deep blue and silver hangings coating the white stone walls. The air was warm and in the centre of the far wall stood a marble fireplace full of flickering flames. A window sat in the wall to her right allowing the sunlight in and providing stunning views of the city and the plains surrounding it.  
Gilraen walked through the first room, inhaling the scent of wood and fabric as she passed plush seats and dainty tables, then her face lit up as she entered the second chamber.  
It was in the same colour scheme of silver and blue yet this time the sky was painted with silver stars, making up the constellations and all the furniture was made of light wood and the bed was surrounded by white curtains. She recognised the colour scheme as having been the one in her nursery, back when she and Arwen were still living together as a family in Rivendell. Back before the novelty of caring for a child had worn off.  
But no, Gilraen was determined not to think any bitter thoughts surrounding her mother at least until Tari, Legolas, Elladan, Elrohir or Nico appeared to take her away. And she could appreciate the gesture; it showed that her mother did still care a little bit.  
A few hours later as Gilraen was settled into one of the chairs in her first chamber, struggling with one of the books Tari had insisted she read before being taught any more regarding sorcery – a subject Gilraen was interested in even if it was only theory work, there was a soft knock on her door.  
"Come in!" she called and was slightly shocked to see Arwen enter the room.  
"Naneth," she greeted her mother inclining her head slightly in acknowledgement.  
Arwen sat down opposite her, "Edlothia, sweetie," Gilraen looked up sharply at the pet name faintly remembered from her child hood. "How is everything? With you I mean,"  
Gilraen looked at her mother unsure as how to start but once she worked it out the two sat, conversing quite happily on what Gilraen had been doing for the past five years.  
...  
Gilraen was just settling quite happily into the rhythm of life in Gondor: family meals, chatting with Arwen and lessons in almost every skill a 'lady' needed. Her uncles had even shown up a few days into the visit and they fitted in with Aragon and Arwen's family quite well, using the skills they had learnt when raising Gilraen to make their mortal nieces and nephew love them.  
Of course she had forgotten that fate hated her and so, just as she was relaxing and letting her guard down, of course her patron would appear.  
Nike appeared in Gilraen's chambers as Gilraen was studying a manuscript recommended by Arwen.  
"My champion, I come with grave news. The ancient laws forbid us from interfering too much in this fight; I must release you from my service."  
Gilraen looked at Nike without quite comprehending what she said and then it hit her like a tons of bricks.  
"Oh," was the most intelligent answer her brain could provide her with. Before she could say anymore a faint golden light encased her entire and she suddenly felt much weaker.  
"Goodbye," the goddess said before flashing back out of the chamber, leaving a shocked Gilraen staring vacantly into space.  
She was found this way as a courier entered her rooms to report a flying bronze ship had been reported on the horizon. That knocked her out of her shock as she rushed to greet her friends.


	12. We're (almsot) off on an adventure

After a long journey in which Annabeth threatened the boys and her sister multiple times the Argo 2 stopped hovering over the ocean. She turned to glare at Leo, if this was his idea of a joke she most definitely was not amused. Or, for that matter, if it was her sister's doppelganger (she had a lot of trouble remembering his name it was just so... odd) she recalled seeing him telling coordinates to Leo.  
Her glare turned into a look of amazement as Leo quite happily vaulted over the side followed by her normally level headed sister and the doppelganger. She turned to Percy and found him staring at the water with an odd expression on his face.  
"This water… doesn't exist" he said his voice laced with confusion. "It just isn't there. There is no life in it; in fact there has been no life - or water for that matter – for the past day and a half."  
Annabeth frowned, "That doesn't make sense"  
He shrugged, "But it is true." His face lit up in his stupid-idea-that-will-probably-get-all-of-us-killed expression "Let's go check!"  
Before she could stop him, he too vaulted over the side after the others. Annabeth was severely tempted to hit her head against the mast but decided it would not be a good idea as she was obviously the only one with a brain on the entire trip.  
Annabeth took a deep breath and decided to follow her stupid friends. Her reasoning? That if she started to drown her boyfriend the son of Poseidon could easily save her!  
She carefully climbed over the side of the ship and was amazed to discover land underneath her feet whilst her sister, her sister's doppelganger, her boyfriend and the irritants otherwise known as Leo and Nico smirking at her. She was even more annoyed to notice the money changing hands between Tari, Leo, Nico and Tari's doppelganger's hands. They were so going to pay for that later.  
After getting over her initial shock and irritation Annabeth noticed where she was standing exactly. It was a large plain covered in yellowing grass on one side a river flowed and partway along the river she could see a grey and white blur that she realised with a start was a city. Her attention was drawn however by the white structure dominating the landscape. A giant white city built into the mountain side.  
Annabeth looked at her sister with wide eyes and was pleased to discover that she was not still smirking. Instead there was a slightly wistful smile on her face as she gazed at some black blurs moving towards them across the landscape.  
"What… What is it?" she asked  
Her sister didn't respond but her smile grew until a grin covered her entire face, looking at Legolas? She saw the same expression covering his face as the pair stared eagerly at the blurs against the plains. Wait... they weren't blurs at least not any longer; as they came closer she could now see the forms of people on horseback. It was slightly odd how the two blonde elves knew what they were before everyone else, but then perhaps it was some sort of freaky elven power, she had seen her sister staring off into the middle distance a lot. Then she saw the doppelganger doing it to and decided – it must be genetic.  
The figures on horseback came closer and closer until Annabeth could make out the figures with some precision; there were two at the front followed by half a dozen garbed in silver armour that glinted in the sun. As they approached the group, Tari and her brother ran forwards slightly to greet the riders. Well, greet in Legolas' case, Tari didn't greet them per say more jumped on one and kissed him. Or at least, Annabeth thought it was a 'him'. The long black hair didn't help much.  
She was pleased to see that yes the figure her sister was attached to was in fact male; Annabeth was proved right once again!  
Tari led Elrohir over to her sister with some anxiety, Annabeth was well known around the Camp for being over protective of her siblings – especially where love was involved!  
"Elrohir this is Annabeth, my half-sister on my mother's side. Annabeth this is Elrohir my..." she was unable to finish the introduction however as Elrohir jumped in with a large grin on his face.  
"Her fiancé," he boasted proudly, wrapping an arm around Tari's waist. She merely turned and raised an eyebrow at his arm and he hastily removed it, no doubt recalling a previous experience when that expression was on her face.  
Annabeth watched the couple and observed the way they reacted to one another carefully. Her sister seemed more carefree and relaxed around him and she supposed that, provided nothing happened in front of her, Annabeth would give her blessing to their union.  
When introductions were over and done with, Elrohir and his twin, whom Annabeth had discovered was called Elladan, led the demigods and elves over to a contingent of horses.  
Tari and Legolas immediately went for the only greys, which nickered softly as the two elves approached no doubt recognising the pair.  
Soon all of the travellers were mounted and the procession, accompanied by a guard dressed in the silvery armour Annabeth had seen glinting as they rode towards the Argo, headed towards the white city in the mountainside.  
As they approached the city the gates opened and the group were let inside. They travelled up wide winding streets the inhabitants of which moved aside for the riders to pass. All the buildings were made of white stone and some, especially on the lower levels, appeared to be newer than others. Or so far as the unfamiliar architecture could tell her, if only she had seen this city before finishing designing Olympus, what inspiration she could have gained and ideas implemented.  
Eventually the procession reached the uppermost level of the city and a slightly smaller gateway. Dismounting as they approached the gate, the elves handed over their horses to the stable hands that were waiting quickly and efficiently, all the while watching the gate. The reasons they were watching the gate became apparent as the gate opened and a richly dressed group walked towards them.  
It took a while but Annabeth recognised Gilraen amongst the group, she was barely recognisable as she was beautiful in a gown of midnight blue silk with her hair swept up elegantly on top of her head. She laughed inwardly as she saw Leo and Tari also notice Gilraen, both of whom did a double take at her apparel.  
...  
As soon as she was able Tari ran towards Gilraen, she needed to check whether or not her friend was alright as the last time Gilraen had spent an extended period of time with her mother, Tari's shoulder was used by Gilraen as a crying post for many a night.  
She was pleased then to find that Gilraen was starting to reconcile with Arwen, she loved both of them as friends and hated the mistrust between the pair.  
Whilst all the demigods were all shown to their chambers by Gilraen, Tari explained the purpose of their visit to Aragon, Arwen, Elladan and Elrohir, making sure to ask the twin sons of Elrond to accompany them and to check that it was fine for Gilraen to come too taking the opportunity presented by having all five of Gilraen's guardians in the same room.  
When given the go ahead they started to plan what they would need on the quest and began to prepare and make arrangements.  
...  
Gilraen was a little annoyed about being left out of the talk that her guardians were having but was pleased to see her friends from Camp again. It was especially nice to introduce Nico to her other half-siblings, all of whom seemed to get on really well together... maybe she could try and persuade Arwen to let Nico stay with them whenever he wasn't in the underworld or at Camp.  
She showed all the demigods to their rooms and smirked slightly as she heard their gasps of amazement, although it was a little unnerving to see how easily she had fallen into the comfort of life in Minas Tirith. She shook her head to rid it of the thoughts as she opened the door to Leo's room, specially chosen by her for its red and yellow colour scheme.  
He entered and she caught a glimpse of the sky outside of his window, it was already dark and so, resigning herself to the fact it was extremely unlikely she would even get a glimpse into the talk, she went back to her room to read until she felt sleepy. She was sure that they would all be told the details in the morning.  
...  
…slash, hack attack, repeat. The battle was fierce; orcs fell in droves but still more advanced from the ruins of Dol guldar. Piles of foul bodies lay on the ground in huge heaps yet still more came. Tari whirled around in a fury, orcs stood no chance against her flying blades a wide circle of death surrounded her. Out of the corner of her eye Tari could see her friends, colleagues, family fighting their own individual fights. They were severely outnumbered and slowly but surely the elvish army of Mirkwood was failing. A horn blew and there was a brief lull in the fighting as elf and orc looked for the source. Tari took the opportunity to catch her breath and remind herself why they were fighting, and then just as quickly as the lull had started the opposing armies threw themselves back into it. Tari was facing a large brutish orc with uncharacteristically pale skin, it looked almost human, she raised her blade and cut through its thick neck but as she did so it changed. It changed into her brother and as his black blade cut into her leg she screamed and screamed and screamed….  
Tari woke up in a cold sweat, her breath coming in ragged gasps and her throat sore from screaming. It was fine. She was fine. Her brother was alive. The battle was over. They had won. She reminded herself. This dream had been worse than normal, generally she didn't wake up screaming. As she attempted to calm herself she heard soft footsteps in the stone corridor outside her chambers. Her body tensed, ready to fight and still not quite over the effects of the dream.  
The door creaked open and Tari reached for the knife under her pillow but then a familiar face framed in blonde hair peeked around the door and she relaxed. Her brother came and sat next to her on her bed, pulling her into a warm hug. Tari relaxed even more into his hold and to her horror felt tears pooling in her eyes. As she began to cry against his shoulder Legolas merely held his sister and rubbed soothing circles into her back, letting her cry.  
When she had calmed down slightly he felt it was safe to answer the question, "What was this one about?"  
Tari drew in a deep breath "It was the battle again, Dol guldar, and we were losing. A horn blew: the one of the Galadhrim and we all stopped for a while, just like what actually happened. Then I was faced with the orc again, the one who injured my leg but this time he had your face. You were hurting me as I was killing you."  
The two siblings sat in silence for a while, both reflecting on the events of that day. Both had been fighting battles but in different countries. Whilst Legolas had been defending Minas Tirith, Tari had been defending their home. Eventually both had taken enough comfort in the other's presence to feel safe and calm enough to go back to sleep.  
As Legolas was leaving her room Tari called out softly, "Thank you 'las."  
Her brother turned at the door and smiled sadly at her, "Anytime Tari."  
Both knew that there would be many more nights like this.  
…...  
Elrohir sat at the council table, observing the interactions between the mortals Tari and Legolas had brought with them. Tari was describing the journey that they would have to take and Elrohir was not looking forward to it much. They were required to travel right to the sight of Gondolin, the ruined city that had fallen in the first war against Morgoth. He was still unsure as to how they, nine people, none of whom were members of the Valar, were supposed to defeat the lord of Sauron!  
But Tari thought it was possible and so it probably was. She had a theory to do with the fact he needed her to rise fully. Although there was a lot she was not telling them, of that he was sure.  
"… and so that is where we head to first. We will meet in the stable yard at noon try not to be late." Elrohir sat up in shock, he'd just realised that he had daydreamed through most of the meeting. What in arda were they doing? He sent pleading eyes to his twin, who just shook his head and smiled 'I will tell you later' he sent back through his eyes. Elrohir sighed with barely concealed relief, but that was before he saw the rest of the message 'for a price of course…" he groaned. Why did he have to have a brother like Elladan? Why?  
Elladan explained to him that they were meeting all ready to go at noon that day and were heading to Imladris first as Tari thought that there might, just might, be something in the library to help them. And so they were all there waiting for Tari and Annabeth in the stable yard at noon. They were a few minutes late and Tari's arms were laden with books and scrolls whilst Annabeth was carrying a satchel full of yet more scrolls. They looked like they were borrowing half of the ginormous library of Minas Tirith. Elrohir just shook his head at her, and knew they would have to stop her from reading on horseback – the last time she had done so she had ended up with a severe concussion. The time it took her to recover hadn't been pleasant for anyone.


	13. Stupid logical children of Athena

Leo was bored. There was no easy way around it. He was completely and utterly bored out of his mind. He had tried talking with everyone but, once again, they split up evenly. When he had tried talking to Gilraen her stupidly overprotective brother otherwise known as Nico had shot death glares at his back (and even for a child of Hades those death glares were terrifying) until he felt so uncomfortable he just gave up. Annabeth and Percy were happily in their own little world that he didn't want to intrude on. And then there were the elves. If Leo was completely honest (and who was insinuating that he was never honest? He always was honest, well except for those few times...) the elves scared him slightly, they just looked so dangerous and clever, and clever people had always intimidated him. That wasn't discounting the sheer number of weapons they seemed to have on their person, it was faintly ridiculous. So no, he couldn't talk to the elves.  
Back to his original statement, he was bored. They were riding through seemingly endless fields and had been so for weeks now. Even if they were in a completely new place there was only so long he could get excited about fields for Hades sake!  
He decided to attempt to entertain himself by making shapes out of fire. It took a lot of concentration and he had only just learnt how to do it so that should keep him occupied for a bit.  
After a while though playing with fire couldn't hold his attention and so he started to look for another way to occupy and entertain himself. Well actually he could think of many ways but they would probably end up with him seriously injured or dead, generally as a result of one of his friends. So they were all out of the question, just as he was about to go with one of his less irritating ideas (singing) a horn blew in the distance.  
The elves paused in their conversation as the horn blew again. Their faces drained of colour and they urged their mounts faster. The demigods traded confused glances but did the same. Leo watched Annabeth ride her horse alongside Tari and the two conversed in low tones for a few minutes before Annabeth dropped back to ride with the demigods.  
"They think that the horn might mean a threat to us. Going faster is merely a precaution." She sounded unsure as she said the words as they all knew that there was more to it than that. They had all seen Tari and Gilraen in action before so surely there was no dire need for that kind of haste.  
The horn blew again and sounded much closer, the elves quickened their pace and the demigods copied them accordingly.  
The mountains that had been blurs on the horizon were suddenly in high definition as the party rode into the mountain range.  
...  
As they slowed their horses again over the treacherous terrain Nico raised an eyebrow at the interaction between Leo and Gilraen. He most definitely did not approve of anything between the two of them. Sure Leo was a great friend and all but Nico had seen how he behaved around members of the opposite sex. So yeah, he secure in his reasoning as to why he did not approve. Add to the fact that he had found out about what Gilraen's mother had given up to be with the mortal man she loved and no, Nico was certainly not letting his (technically older) little sister give up her immortality for Leo Valdez of all people.  
Nope, she was going to settle down with a nice elven boy (or girl) and only know the name of Leo Valdez as a happy memory whenever he came to visit. He had already lost one sister and he would not lose another if he could help it!  
He could feel both Tari and Annabeth smirking at the back of his head as he glared at the pair in front of him. Really what was so special about children of Athena that gave them their freakish mind reading powers? The whole cabin always seemed to know what he was thinking before he had even thought it himself usually!  
Although... he could not really fault Leo about his choice, even if it was his (older) baby sister, there was something about the elves that just made them so... so... alluring.  
The twin of Tari's fiancé was quite frankly and in teenage terms: hot. But he was also definitely straight after Nico caught him playfully kissing one of the elves in Arwen's repertoire of ladies in waiting. There was obviously something within him attracted to dark haired guys because first there was Percy and now he was sort of/kind of attracted to Elladan. Why did his life (and head) have to be so screwed up?  
He smiled slightly as he looked back at Percy and Annabeth, they seemed so much more happy and carefree since they had arrived in Middle Earth, and it was as though Tartarus had never happened. Which was most definitely a good thing; Percy was almost back to the way he had been before the Titan war, almost back to the Percy Nico had had a crush on. And Annabeth, well she was laughing and joking with everyone, she still didn't let Percy out of her sight for longer than 10 minutes without getting panicked but it was still longer than she ever had at camp.  
Nico could feel himself relaxing too, the memories of Tartarus were fading and he wasn't looking over his shoulder every five minutes expecting a monster attack or to be laughed at. There was just something about this place, whether its properly clean fresh air or just the fact that there was nothing really to provoke the memories. No monsters and no sympathetic camp mates. Only his little (big) sister who he needed to divert from the path of Leo and some elves more than happy to take the responsibility.  
No he was sure he could grow to like it here quite easily.  
...  
Tari had breathed a sigh of relief as they rode into the Misty Mountains. The cover and protection they provided might just last long enough for the pack of orcs on their trail to lose their scent. Or, if the worst came to the worst, at least give them a slight head start to a pass which was narrow enough to give them a fighting chance against such a large host of orcs.  
The pass was just up ahead when they heard the horn again, it looked like they would have to fight unless... Tari grimaced, unless only one person remained behind to fight, they could probably hold the pass at its narrowest point. One person standing and fighting could give the others a chance to reach the safety of Imladris and its protective borders.  
But she kept this thought to herself, only to be used if they had dire need of it. They were just reaching the narrowest point of the pass, only just wide enough for a horse and rider to pass through, when they first saw the foul hordes of orcs, some even riding wargs. Tari could see the verge of the same thought process that she had had earlier running through Legolas, Elladan and Elrohir's minds as they gripped their bows tightly and began to reach for arrows. They were preparing to make a stand.  
Out of the corner of her eye Tari saw the same thing happening with the demigods and Gilraen. She dismounted her horse and turned to face them with a cold glare that even made Annabeth flinch.  
"Go" she said in a flat voice. When they made no sign of even contemplating moving she raised her voice to just under a shout, "Go!"  
She turned to her brother, her fiancé, and her friend. "You too, you should go."  
All three began to protest, accompanied by the indignant complaints of Percy, Annabeth, Leo, Nico and Gilraen. Tari listened to them for a few minute before holding up her hand to ask for silence.  
"I said go. I can buy you time, maybe even enough to get to Imladris safely, and if not... well you should reach the forest at least. It will be much more even ground there."  
The elves all exchanged glances at her flat, emotionless voice, knowing that it meant she was deliberately concealing her true emotions from them.  
"But why should you be the one to do this meleth nin?" Elrohir asked, dismounting to step closer to her. He cupped Tari's cheek with one hand and she almost imperceptibly leaned into his touch.  
"Because I am the logical choice." She stated bleakly "None of the demigods are completely confident with the style of fighting it requires to kill yrch to be able to stand for long. I am Gilraen's valaramil and so swore to protect her, which definitely includes against hordes of bloodthirsty orcs." Gilraen looked put out by that statement and Tari noticed with some relief that Leo manoeuvred his horse so that he could comfort her.  
She continued "Elrohir, you and Elladan are the heirs to Imladris and if one of you dies the other will fade thus leaving your father without an heir in one fell swoop. Legolas you are heir of Mirkwood and ada cannot lose you. I cannot lose you. Besides I am the one that Morgoth needs, if I am dead he cannot rise, and if they are under his control they will try and take me alive which will buy you even more time so either way it is a win win situation. Those are my reasons and nothing you say can change my mind, remember the plan go to Imladris and find the book, then travel to Gondolin. If Morgoth rises then you know I have been taken alive and if he doesn't you will know that I am dead."  
The demigods looked at her with shocked expressions although Tari was slightly pleased to see Annabeth nodding slightly as she thought through her reasoning.  
"So please, just go. Get the longest head start possible and," her voice cracked slightly, "and don't let my sacrifice be in vain. Please?"  
They all looked at her for a few moments, attempting to discern her true thought but, one by one they started to ride away until only Elrohir and Legolas were left standing in front of her.  
Legolas embraced his sister and wished her luck before reluctantly leaving too, knowing that Tari and Elrohir would want some privacy.  
Elrohir looked at Tari for a good long while before running forwards and crushing her to his chest. They feverishly whispered of their love for one another, well aware that it was probably the last chance they would have.  
With a final promise of love and quick kiss, Elrohir left Tari with tears streaming down her face in the middle of the pass utterly alone, as even her horse had gone with the others.  
She nocked arrows into her bow and fired them; taking down an orc per arrow, but all too soon her quiver was empty and the first orcs were upon her.  
She unsheathed her knives and wildly wielded them in a horrifically elegant dance of death. Orcs fell left right and centre but still more came. She was weakened as one managed to get past her defences and cut her ram before she could respond. As soon as she felt the blade cut into her skin Tari whirled around and sliced the orc's head off but the damage was already done.  
The blood dripping from the cut in her arm weakened Tari considerably and her vision began to go hazy. More orcs were able to injure her and she could feel herself growing faint. Then she cried out in pain, a blade slipped into her back burning her flesh like a red hot poker. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed to the ground, she saw the gruesomely grinning face of a dead orc then black overtook her vision and she could hear a faint voice calling her name...


	14. Pain, Memories and Family

Elrohir stopped his horse at the edge of the pass as the elf he loved faced off the orcs. Her reasoning was sound but that didn't mean he was going to just abandon her to die alone, she needed at least one pair of friendly eyes watching and remembering her final moments.  
He watched sadly as she whirled in and out of the creatures gracefully but even from this distance he could see her weakening and tiring.  
He felt his heart wrench as he saw an orc that Tari had obviously though dead lurch to its feet, dagger in hand and slowly drag itself towards the blonde blur that was Tari. He couldn't tare his eyes away as the orc lifted its foul blade and plunge it into an unsuspecting Tari's back. She stopped suddenly, her arms flung out, he watched as she slowly fell forwards amongst the dead creatures surrounding her and could almost feel the moment at which the blackness overtook her.  
He was only vaguely aware of hands holding him back as a surge of rage filled his body. This was nearly as bad as finding his mother, broken and half dead and his hatred for the orcs increased twofold.  
He swore to himself that he would kill every orc he laid his hands on, but with a last look at the place where Tari fell and the orcs surging up the pass towards them, he continued to lead his companions at breakneck speed to Rivendell. They could not let Tari's death be in vain.  
….  
Gilraen dully registered someone pulling on her hand. She had lost the elf that had been first a motherly figure, then a friend and then like a sister. And what was worst was that Gilraen knew; deep down, that it was the logical choice. It did have the best outcome. This knowledge made it even harder to bear.  
She vaguely recognised the trees they were passing though and some part of her brain noted that Legolas and Elrohir were also being led, Legolas by Annabeth and Elrohir by his twin. She noticed the pressure one her hand once more and realised that she too was being led through the forest, although by whom she could not say.  
Her mind was too taken up with memories of growing up with Tari presiding over her upkeep alongside her uncles and the fun they would have.  
Flashback  
Gilraen was still very young, only two decades old, when Arwen left. She couldn't really remember it, just the confusion that when she called for her mother only her uncles appeared. He uncles promised her every day for two months that her valaramil was coming to look after her. She waited for this day with anticipation; she only had good memories associated with Tari. Tari was the one to let her climb trees and make mud pies. She didn't make Gilraen do 'lady' lessons.  
Gilraen was sat in her room, her hair falling out of its one long braid and covered in mud. She had fallen into a giant puddle earlier that week ad ran for it every time her uncles, grandfather or any elf of the household came near her. She was refusing to take a bath with all her might. It was her form of protesting; until her mother came back Gilraen was refusing to bathe.   
She heard hooves outside, too many to just be a patrol or hunting party returning home and realised what it meant. She raced through the corridors, ducking and weaving around the elves she encountered within. When she reached the front door she burst out and spotted her valaramil. Gilraen launched herself into the blonde's arms and the blonde instinctively wrapped her arms around the tiny elf. It wasn't long though before she set Gilraen down with a wrinkled nose.  
"Elrohir, when was the last time Gilraen had a wash? Or her hair brushed?" Gilraen looked at the floor slightly guiltily, it was her fault really that she hadn't washed, not her uncles. Her uncle mumbled something and Tari swore softly, "Come on 'Rae I have something special for you in my bag. But I can only give it to you inside."   
She picked Gilraen up and marched inside, and before Gilraen knew what was happening she had been dumped in a bath full of hot water and soap was being lathered into her hair. She scowled at the wall the entire time and refused to even acknowledge Tari threatening her with a comb if she didn't cooperate. She was forced to make some sound however when Tari dragged a comb through her tangled mass of wet hair.   
"There 'Rae, doesn't that feel better" Tari asked, plonking the tiny elf in front of a mirror and starting to rebraid her hair down her back.   
"Yes." Gilraen said, glaring at her reflection in the mirror.  
Tari left her there for a moment and started to rustle in her bag, when she returned she placed something cool on Gilraen's head. When Gilraen looked in the mirror she saw that it was a silver circlet with deep blue stones set in the centre of her forehead.   
"Now that Naneth is gone darling, you're the lady in Imladris so you should start dressing like it. Or at least," Tari's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper "You should dress like a lady in public. And that melui, means washing and brushing your hair. You don't want to let Naneth or me down do you?"  
Gilraen shook her head, she hadn't thought of that. Her Naneth hated her being dirty and unkempt. Maybe that was what had been keeping her away!  
Flashback   
Gilraen sat bored in the room Tari had taken over as a classroom. She was waiting for Tari to turn up and begin their lesson on – ugh- hobbit culture. The door opened and a blond head poked its way around the door.  
"Gilraen," Legolas said "Tari had a little 'accident' earlier so I'm teaching you today. I know next to nothing about whatever it is your supposed to be learning today so what do you say about some archery lessons?"  
Gilraen laughed softly, trust Legolas to ignore the fact that she was supposed to be doing theory and let her play sports instead.   
She rushed out of the room and past him down the corridor to her room so that she could change out of the dress Tari made her wear, claiming that it would keep her from slouching. It was slightly hypocritical of her valaramil seeing as Tari only wore gowns when occasion (or her father) demanded it, preferring instead to race around Mirkwood in tunics and leggings.   
Legolas watched her run to her room and waited outside of the door so that when she emerged from the room clutching her small bow he took it away from her hand and threw it back inside the room where he somehow managed to make it land on her bed. He then handed her the second bow that was strung over his shoulder.   
"Don't tell Tari" He said placing a finger over his lips.  
Gilraen giggled as she recognised the carving and runes decorating the bow. Tari would throw a fit if she realised that Legolas had stolen her prized bow.   
The two of them went outside where they set about practising archery. Gilraen pulled the string taught against her chin and let go. As it hit the target she grinned gleefully, it was her first bull's-eye!   
Gilraen sobbed quietly to herself, what she wouldn't give to have those days back again. When the most she had to worry about was whether or not Tari would find out that she had stolen her bow.  
An arm wrapped comfortingly around her, she leaned in to the warmth it provided and sobbed gently into the chest at her side, allowing herself to be led through the trees.  
...  
The group made camp almost robotically that night, but only after Annabeth yelled at Elladan that they all needed rest. Elrohir, Legolas and Gilraen did not quite comprehend the loss of Tari and as such had not fought against the breakneck speed that Elladan drove them all at. He too was upset at losing Tari but he would not let his twin die and as such was attempting to make as much use of the time Tari had brought them as possible.  
Everyone sat in silence gazing at the fire in the centre, most of the demigods were asleep and Elladan shot a grateful look at the one still awake. Nico was leading Gilraen closer to the fire and wrapping her blankets around her, he approved of this by as a sibling for his niece; he had managed the almost impossible, getting Gilraen off to bed without Tari nearby.  
He was just considering the benefits of drugging his twin and friend in an attempt to make them sleep when Legolas suddenly stood and sprinted back the way they had come. Elladan stuffed a leaf in Elrohir's mouth and ran after Legolas praying that Nico would care for the others while he was gone and that Legolas wasn't about to do anything too stupid.  
He finally caught up with Legolas above the pass, looking down into it he saw that it had a backlog of foul black corpses at its narrowest point and one small pale body draped over the top.  
Legolas started to talk as Elladan approached; he had obviously heard Elladan's footsteps on the rock  
"She died a warrior's death and deserves an… an honourable burial. Not to be left like this as carrion for the crows."  
Elladan inwardly agreed with him, but had to be the logical voice of reason for once unless they both wanted to die.  
"Is there any sign of movement down there Mellon Nin?  
Legolas turned to face him sadly "No,"  
"Then we can go, but we must be careful, keep your weaponry at the ready and at the first sign of movement we leave. Is that fair?"  
Legolas looked like he was about to protest so Elladan continued  
"If we die, so will the others. Do you really believe that Tari would be pleased that we took any risk at all that would undermine her sacrifice."  
He felt mean as he finished his argument and saw Legolas' face drop but if it worked as it was meant to then all was good.  
The pair cautiously entered the rocky passage, skirting pools of congealed black blood and taking note of the multitude of footprints heading out of the mountains, they would need to watch out for orcs later.  
They came across Tari's gleaming silver circlet, having rolled from her head as she fell and as Legolas bent to pick it up his face morphed into an expressionless mask, similar to the one they all hated on Tari.  
They found Tari's limp body; face down with the black hilt of a dagger still protruding form her back. Elladan bent to pick her up but as he manoeuvred his fingers to support her neck he felt a faint pulse. Sure that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him but still hoping against hope he tried again, to his amazement there it was. A pulse! Faint, but still a pulse!  
Eyes widening he called out to his friend.  
"Legolas, she is still alive…"  
…  
Nico was in pain, seeing his sister like that. She was unresponsive to most things and he had quite literally had to force her to eat something earlier. To try and get a response out of her he hadn't even complained when Leo hugged her and comforted her when she was crying!  
He was exhausted from watching her all day to make sure that Gilraen didn't fall off her horse or walk into a tree or that Leo didn't accidently hurt her and now he was effectively left in charge.  
Legolas and Elladan had run off leaving him behind as the only person awake and capable of coherent thought. Even Elrohir was asleep although he supposed that could be blamed on the leaf that Elladan had forced into his twin's mouth before leaving.  
Nico was sat by the fire trying to ignore Percy and Annabeth who were asleep wrapped in each other's arms. He had stopped really liking Percy in that way but still… it was better to not be reminded that Percy was essentially forever out of his reach.  
His head snapped up and out of his thoughts as he heard a rustling in the bushes surrounding the clearing. Maybe it was just the elves returning from wherever they had run off too…  
...  
Tari blinked in the sudden light, the voice was still calling her name but it was softer and nearer now. She pushed herself up and immediately felt a sharp pain in her back, she winced and a figure moved into view.  
The figure was female and had long honey blonde hair twisted into a braid on top of her head. Her eyes were a stormy grey and her resemblance was so strong to Annabeth that Tari suspected who she was.  
"Nana?" she whispered, looking into the figure's eyes. The lady smiled and nodded. Tari felt a surge of emotions; finally she met the woman who had given her life!  
"Where... where am I?" She asked, looking around the room in confusion.  
Athena smiled, "Technically you are still in that mountain pass, your body lies unconscious there. But your mind, well I called your mind to me. I could not let it go to Hades' realm. I could not give up on my child that easily."  
"You abandoned me before why did you not do it again?"  
Athena grimaced "I could not stay with your father, it would have made his line insecure had he been seen with another woman so soon after his wife's death. I truly regretted leaving him alone to raise you, but I visited whenever I could. The elf maid who taught you to weave? That was me, just in another form. I've been teaching you your entire life, so you see Tari I never really abandoned you before."  
Tari narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to catch the hint of a lie, "Fine, but what of the others? Are they all safe?"  
Athena nodded that they were and invited Tari to sit, "We have but a little time for me to help you defeat Morgoth. I will tell you what I know of the ritual; hopefully that will save you some time my dear, but be warned it is not a pleasant subject..."


	15. Healing and a False Alarm in the Library

Percy woke up as soon as the first monster crashed through the bushes. He barely caught a glimpse of Nico, pale with his sword held across his body, before the creatures were upon him. He uncapped Riptide and swung it wildly, dissolving the approaching telkhine into golden dust.  
Beside him Annabeth fought, releasing all the fury at these creatures that she had been nursing, and man, Percy thought, she must have been nursing some of that anger for a while. Vaguely he wondered how much of it was directed at him.  
Off to one side, Leo was forced to use a knife as his fire didn't hurt the monsters. He seemed to be coping rather well as he fought off any creatures who came anywhere near an unconscious Gilraen.  
Together they managed to defeat the Telkhines and through it all Gilraen and Elrohir didn't wake up. Nico commented on how 'the drugs must be pretty strong'. Percy had no idea what he was on about but he had to agree.  
...  
Elladan and Legolas made their way carefully back to the campsite, carrying the comatose Tari between the two of them. The pair of them had to be extra careful as they couldn't remove the dagger for fear of hurting her further.  
They stumbled into the clearing and immediately saw the exhausted demigods and the golden dust coating everything.  
"What happened?" Elladan asked, still holding onto Tari.  
They all turned around when he spoke and Annabeth let out a small scream.  
"Telkhines. And is... is she alive?"  
At the stiff nod from Legolas and Elladan, Annabeth let out another tiny scream and set about making up a bed for her out of the blankets.  
Percy reached towards the blade still embedded in Tari's back but Annabeth knocked his hand away. "Don't. Touch. The. Knife. Seaweed brain." He nodded and withdrew his hand, rubbing it slightly in an attempt to gain some sympathy from his girlfriend.  
She just shook her head and started to hunt through her saddle bags.  
"Now I knew I had some ambrosia here somewhere..." she muttered to herself before making a noise of triumph as she uncovered the bag of (slightly crushed) lemon yellow squares.  
She placed one in Tari's mouth and watched it dissolve. Immediately her sister's breathing evened out and the slightest amount of colour returned to her cheeks.  
Legolas watched this with some astonishment but was broken out of his stare by Elladan pronouncing:  
"We need to get a move on. The sooner we arrive in Rivendell the better."  
...  
The group rode into Rivendell. Elrohir and Gilraen were strapped onto their horses and still unconscious whilst Tari was on a makeshift stretcher.  
They were met by Elrond's council who hurried worriedly to the unconscious elves. After a brief look over Tari was ordered to the Halls of Healing whilst Elrohir and Gilraen were moved to their rooms.  
Elrond pulled his other son and Legolas aside and questioned them as to what had happened to them and who the others with them were. What he heard made him very grave.  
"We will need to work quickly on Tari then, I fear the blade may have led to infection, or worse," He looked directly into Legolas' eyes, "Or worse, the blade may have hit her spine and cause paralysis."  
...  
Tari blinked in the harsh sunlight streaming through the obviously stupidly nearby window, her vision very blurry.  
"Good evening Istari" Elrohir said quietly from her left, hurt colouring his voice.  
She opened her mouth to attempt to speak but instead the foul taste of vomit rose in her throat. She tried to roll to the right, but only succeeded in twisting the top half of her body painfully, and was sick on the floor. She grimaced weakly and twisted her body back into a more comfortable position against the plethora of pillows where she coughed.  
"That was the third time that you tried to do more than you were completely capable of." Elrohir said quietly "The blade that scraped your arm had a poison on it that we very nearly lost you to even without the help of the blade you took to your back."  
He moved to sit on the bed next to Tari and smoothed her hair before kissing her forehead.  
A terrible thought struck Tari; "Gilraen is alright isn't she?"  
Elrohir smiled slightly "She is safe, don't worry. You need to focus on getting better. Go to sleep" he said as Tari drifted off.  
...  
As she once again became aware of the soft sheets beneath her and the faint herbal smell, Tari opened her eyes and winced at the bright light assaulting her eyelids, immediately shutting them again. The light certainly wasn't doing anything for her splitting headache and the wince made her aware of the sharp pain in her lower back.  
When she felt that she could attempt to deal with the light once more her eyes fluttered open and five worried faces staring down at her swam into view. Tear tracks evident on more than one cheek.  
"W... w... where am I?" she croaked through a parched throat.  
One of the faces – Elrohir's her exhausted brain supplied – moved closer and embraced her.  
The others – Gilraen, Legolas, Annabeth and Elrond, the names were coming to her much easier now – exchanged glances.  
"You are in the Halls of Healing ther-nin," Legolas said slowly, "You have been unconscious for over a week"  
So that was why she was so wool-headed, Tari attempted to prop herself up using her elbows but hissed as the pain in her lower back increased tenfold. Elrohir helped her to sit up by leaning her against his chest as he moved behind her. Vacantly part of her mind processed the fact that she had been changed into a frilly white abomination.  
Elrond noticed the hiss and handed her a cup of foul smelling tea, Tari grimaced but drank it down. As she did so the pain started to alleviate slightly, enough at least so that she could think more coherently.  
Gilraen stalked around the bed until she was facing Tari, she opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it. Choosing instead to raise one hand and slap Tari, then she started to speak.  
"You absolute idiot! Why in Tartarus you decided to be all 'noble' and 'logical' I don't know. Those generally only feature in your plans as afterthoughts. Did you not think about how your decision affected the rest of us? We all thought you were dead! I... I..." Gilraen broke down into tears and couldn't continue with her rant any further.  
Tari awkwardly patted her hair, she'd never been good at comforting Gilraen when she was a small child and even now she was older it hadn't got any easier. She smiled sadly  
"I'm truly sorry 'Rae. I didn't actually mean to cause you all that worry, all I could think about was keeping you safe, like I promised years ago. If you had been hurt I really couldn't have lived with myself"  
She leaned back into Elrohir's chest even more, she was completely exhausted. She reached beside her and caught hold of his hand.  
"Stay with me?" she murmured, he responded but she couldn't quite hear him, her eyes were already glazed, Tari was lost in the dream state.  
...  
Legolas leaned against the wall outside of his sister's room and sighed. He had so many bad memories associated with that chamber, not least of which being the fact that it was the room Frodo woke up in after Sauron was defeated. The absence of Boromir had been felt keenly by the remaining members of the fellowship. It also didn't help that it reminded him of when they were both younger and half the time it was at least partially his fault his baby sister was in the infirmary.  
And, the fact that she looked so much older sat in that bed. It made him want to cry. What had happened to the small always giggling child he remembered? The age in her eyes and the memories of holding her through nightmares made him want to resurrect Sauron just so he could break his nose before killing him again.  
He punched the wall to try and relive some of his anger, or at least he tried to punch the wall. A set of hands got in the way first. When Legolas looked up at the face of the person who had caught his fist he saw the blue eyes and black hair of his best friend.  
"What was that for Legolas? Did the wall insult you? If it did then I will get my bow and we can take down this foul creature together that dared to insult the prince of Mirkwood!" Elrohir proclaimed and with his proclamation he achieved the almost impossible – he made Legolas laugh when he was worried.  
"Or maybe ickle Leggy was just angry with life and this poor innocent wall got in the way. What say you wall-ey to taking him down to the training grounds and making him get rid of some of his pent up frustration? Ok, wall-ey agrees too, it's settled – to the training ground!" He pretended to get onto a horse and made to gallop off down the hall.  
Legolas chased after him "Who in arda is 'wall-ey'?"  
Elrohir shouted back over his shoulder "Why the wall of course!"  
The two laughed and ran to the training grounds, allowing them to forget the past few days for a few short hours.  
...  
When she woke again Elrohir was asleep in the chair by her bed, she watched him with a smile, he looked so peaceful sleeping, all the lines caused by pain and loss smoothed out into nonexistence.  
She reached out one hand and, ignoring the twinge of pain in her back, brushed the hair out of his eyes. He moved slightly but didn't wake up.  
Tari was now aware of just how deep a sleep he was in and she calculated that if she was quiet enough she could leave the room. Hesitantly she swung her legs over the side of the bed or at least she tried to. As she attempted to move pain shot up her spine that left her gasping and clutching the sheets. She glanced over at Elrohir but he was still (thankfully) asleep, no one else was in the room as well so her pride was still intact – or as intact as it could be for having to be carried unconscious into Imladris...  
She was just about to brace herself to try again when Elrond entered the room. He immediately rushed to her side and stopped her from moving.  
"Don't Istari, the dagger... brushed your spine, there will be some temporary damage or at least it should be temporary but until then, well I'm afraid you cannot move from the waist down."  
Tari looked at him not quite comprehending what he was saying – she wouldn't be able to walk for a while?  
"How... how long?" she asked fearfully.  
The lord of Imladris shook his head, "Impossible to say, but with luck it shouldn't be much longer than a few weeks. If you don't strain it."  
She had to blink back tears, Tari would not cry, she wouldn't! As the tears disobeyed her and began to roll down her cheeks arms encircled her from behind and gently rubbed soothing circles into her back.  
"Shh, meleth nin, it doesn't matter. We all need some time to rest anyway, and besides I am sure we will all keep you entertained quite well don't you? After all you do have two siblings, a fiancé, a best friend and Gilraen to keep you from going insane from boredom, as well of course as all the other elves and the other three mortals we travelled with." Elrohir said softy, he had been awoken by the conversation between his father and fiancé.  
"I know," Tari whispered "But I just feel so useless. I can't hunt in the library for the tomes I need, I can't train, and all I can do is sit here and read whatever you bring me."  
"Or sew!" Elrohir butted in laughing slightly at the recalled tantrums when Tari was required to produce embroidery samplers in the past.  
"Or sew," she agreed quietly. Elrohir frowned; something other than her injury was upsetting her and he got the feeling he wouldn't like whatever it was. He was just about to ask when Gilraen burst into the room,  
"Tari! Tari! You'll never guess what!" she exclaimed excitedly, reverting momentarily to the child Tari helped to raise, "Nico showed me how to shadow travel! I got from the path to the oak; you know the really big one that you taught me to climb in? And then I fainted for a while,"  
Tari held up a hand to stop her "You fainted?"  
Gilraen looked at her with a slightly guilty expression "Only a little, and Nico said it was perfectly normal after shadow travelling!"  
Tari smiled at her "of course melui, I was just checking. You know how I can be sometimes"  
Gilraen nodded and continued with her story "It was really creepy, I felt like I was being stretched..."  
Elrohir watched carefully as Tari leaned back against her cushions, maybe it would do her good not to be so independent.  
...  
Elrond watched the interaction between his son and fiancé; it was the match he and Thranduil had been hoping for since they had both had daughters. He would have preferred it if Arwen had chosen Legolas instead of Aragon to further bind the two kingdoms but they were both content with the union between Tari and Elrohir.  
The two obviously loved one another very much; it was evident in each touch, glance and word that passed between the couple.  
Ever since her enforced bed-rest Elrohir had not left his fiancé's side  
...  
Legolas walked into the Halls of Healing and was pleased to see his little sister so animated in her discussion with Annabeth. He became a little suspicious however, when they fell silent as he approached. He wasn't used to being left out of anything important, interesting or even mildly amusing in Tari's life and it was an odd feeling to have started now. It was probably his fault though – ever since the war she hadn't been sharing as much with him.  
"Well, I'd better hunt for it then. See you in a bit." Annabeth said as she left the room, giving Legolas a slightly odd look as she walked past, similar to the one Tari used when she had bad news. Legolas swallowed his growing dread and sat on the bed next to Tari.  
He handed her the things she had asked for earlier and sat and watched her work. She had forgotten that he was here now that her books and notepaper had arrived, so he settled down with his whetstone and a knife he had been meaning to sharpen for a while.  
The siblings sat in companionable silence, reliving many days from their childhood. One reading the other doing something with a weapon, it was nice, in a vaguely nostalgic way.  
It was even more nostalgic when Elladan and Elrohir burst into the room, covered in mud and followed by a smug looking Gilraen who had a few leaves caught in her hair.  
"What did you do this time boys?" Tari sighed, knowing full well that the likelihood of Gilraen having covered them in mud for the hell of it was incredibly low.  
"Nothing" The twin sons of Elrond chorused. Tari raised an eyebrow and they began to shift uncomfortably.  
"We just-"  
"Talked-"  
"With her-"  
"Little human-"  
"Boyfriend!"  
Tari put her hand to her head; they drove her scatty when they spoke like that. It didn't matter she was the youngest; she was definitely the most mature.  
"So basically you talked to Leo? Ok, why did that make you cover them in mud Gilraen?"  
"Well, Leo had a terrified look on his face and Nico was teaching me how to control my power over earth so..."  
Tari buried her head in her hands, and then back in her book. They were all old enough to sort it out themselves now.  
"Please don't track mud in the Halls of Healing boys" Elrond sighed from the doorway as he came to give Tari her medicine.  
"Sorry ada" Elrohir and Elladan chorused before trooping out of the room, once again followed by Gilraen.  
Legolas settled back into the chair by Tari's bed and started to read one of her books, it was an odd choice for his sister considering it was all about Numorean rituals from a few thousand years ago when she normally read stories like the tale of Luthien but he didn't comment on it, just read quietly and offered support to his sister as she went through her check up and daily medicine.  
...  
Annabeth was hunting through the library when something large, black and hairy with lots of legs landed on the book she had open in front of her. She screamed as the creature brought back memories of Arachne and Tartarus. Two sets of footsteps came running to the door.  
"Annabeth!" Percy yelled as he burst in to the room, Riptide out in front of him and a wild look in his eyes. He was closely followed by Leo who already had his hands on fire.  
He ran to her and wrapped her in his arms, crooning softly to try and calm her down. All the while Leo stepped on, incinerated and chucked the ashes of the offending spider out of the window.  
Shakily Annabeth stood up and smiled through her tears at Leo. "Thank you,"  
Leo just grinned his trademark grin, "Anytime Annie"  
...  
Elladan watched his brother sit on the grass, Tari held in his arms. He had carried her all the way from the healing rooms so she could get a breath of fresh air and a change of scenery. Elladan smiled as he saw the goofy way that the two interacted with each other. He approved of the match as for the first time in years Elrohir seemed almost ready to move on past their mother's leaving.  
Actually, now he studied them more closely, both seemed more light hearted and carefree. According to Legolas Tari's nightmares had all but stopped since Elrohir had taken to sleeping in the chair by her bed.  
Besides, he thought inwardly grinning; he wanted a few nieces and nephews to corrupt, not that they would need much being the spawn of the princess of Mirkwood who detested decorum and the lord of Rivendell who was infamous for his pranking ability. What evil they could unleash on the world...  
He was jolted out of his thoughts as he heard the familiar 'Thunk' of knives hitting a tree trunk , looking back over at the couple he found them engaging in a competition to see who was better at using throwing knives. Elladan grinned.  
...  
Nico clapped his hands as his sister managed to shadow travel once again. Each time she was travelling further and further and each time she was getting less and less tired. Her accuracy was also astounding.  
When he saw her start to droop he called her practise of and made her sit down to share the picnic he had made for them. As the siblings ate the bread, cheese and fruit they chatted about topics of little to no consequence, trading childhood stories and complaining about their father.  
Nico was just feeling comfortable and content when Gilraen asked him the dreaded question.  
"So, who do you have your eye on brother dear? I'm sure he must be very special for you to spend so long pining over him." She took a bite of her apple and grinned at him.  
He spluttered and blushed heavily "I... I... I don't know what on earth you are talking about!"  
His sister raised an eyebrow "Oh really? Then what about the longing glances when you think no one is looking?"  
Nico took a few deep breaths, he could do this, he could tell his sister, and he couldn't keep running away. Actually now that you mentioned it running away seemed like a good option...  
He was snapped out of his thoughts by a slight pressure on his arm; he looked up into the understanding eyes of Gilraen.  
"You aren't disgusting you know. Or at least not in our culture. We celebrate love in all its forms; we remain with our partners until death separates us and even then, most never find another. Why would we deny someone this because of who they love?"  
Nico closed his eyes and to his horror felt tears welling up. Angrily he blinked them away, "But... it isn't natural."  
Gilraen's eyes hardened "Who's been saying that? I'll decapitate them before they can even blink..."  
He blinked in shock, she sounded positively feral, "You would do that for me?" he asked, unsure whether he wanted to know the answer and letting a tinge of confusion colour his tone.  
Now it was Gilraen's turn to be confused "Of course, why wouldn't I?"  
...  
... Annabeth stumbling around trying to find him as he fought the arai, slashing at each one as its curse washed over him, gorgon's blood, an arrow through the middle, lava burns. Each curse more painful than the last. They were about to overwhelm him and he knew what was going to happen next but Bob didn't appear and the arai got closer and closer...  
... Ahklys tricking him and Annabeth. He couldn't look at his girlfriend; it was too painful seeing her zombie form and the expression on her face as he wielded the poison in her defence. She was scared of him...  
... The Battle of Manhattan, again. Watching Luke, his once friend, bleed out on the floor as Annabeth lay injured. But this time it was different. This time Luke didn't die in time to kill Kronos and gold light filled the room, seeping from the incision on the son of Hermes' body. All he could do was stand and watch as he felt his very molecules disintegrate from being in the presence of the Titan...  
Percy woke up in a cold sweat as his mind replayed the nightmare over again in his exhausted brain. Since arriving in Middle Earth his nightmares had decreased in frequency but those were worse than normal, he was just relieved he hadn't woken screaming as he had been prone to do back at camp or at home with his mother.  
He listened carefully to the sounds of the night but heard no distant screaming that indicated Annabeth too was having a nightmare. Percy was just about to settle back to sleep when he heard the familiar yelling associated with nightmares he was unwilling to just leave them be knowing how terrible it was to wake up unaware of your surroundings and especially since it was so close.  
Percy climbed out of his bed and padded into the hallway, as he started to walk in the direction the shouts had come from he froze as they became more identifiable.  
"No! Bianca! Why did you leave me? ... Hazel! Wait! Don't leave me behind! Don't abandon me too!"  
Hesitantly Percy knocked on Nico's door, "Nico? Are you alright?"  
He waited a few minutes and then the soft sound of cursing filtered through the door. The door cracked open and the Italian appeared, rubbing his eyes sleepily.  
"I'm fine" he rasped, still managing to pull off a terrifying glare with an adorably rumpled bed head.  
"If you say so," Percy said, putting up his hands in the universal gesture of I'm not a threat "But I'm here if you need to talk"  
He turned and started to walk back to his room, grinning stupidly as he heard the soft, confused "Thanks" from behind him.  
...  
Tari watched Gilraen leave the room on a supposed 'errand'. She had been feeling stronger for days and just this morning had been able to move her legs slightly and without pain. It was time to try and walk again.  
Cautiously she checked that no one was around, she didn't want anyone to see her when – if – she failed, and then swung her hips so that her legs were dangling over the side of the bed. Gently she pushed herself forward until her feet brushed the floor and, grabbing the bed post for balance, levered herself so that she was standing.  
Her legs threatened to buckle underneath her but she managed to remain upright, clinging to the post with all her might.  
It was at this precise moment that Elrohir entered the room; he was carrying a tray that he quickly set down and rushed to help her.  
"Tari," he gently scolded, setting her back on the bed. "You know that you shouldn't be trying to walk yet. A least try supervised standing first."  
Tari hung her head; she had never liked being told off no matter how gently.  
Elrohir sat next to her and placed his arm around her shoulders gently. She leaned into the touch, savouring the closeness and feeling of safety he emitted.  
After a few minutes Elrohir stood back up, he grasped Tari's hands firmly and pulled her back up.  
"Now shall we try this together meleth nin?"


	16. Dagor Dagorath

It was another week before Tari was allowed to leave the Halls of Healing, and she despised every minute of it. They were supposed to be stopping one of the greatest evils the world had seen and she was stuck inside, weak as a kitten. There was little that could be done to speed the process though.  
As soon as she was able she was on the back of a horse again, their deadline was drawing ever closer and they did not have time for her to heal fully before they needed to go. Besides, if her plan worked, she wouldn't need to be at full fighting capacity anyway.  
Her plan had taken months of research and scouring of genealogical charts but she was now as sure of it as she could be for a plan that if it failed would mean the end of days.  
Dagor Dagorath was coming and she would not be caught unaware.  
…..  
The grounds around Orthanc still stood beneath a pool of water but no longer did the ents stand guard. The tower stood as tall as ever, a black blight upon the horizon. Without a wizard there keeping watch a dark aura had overtaken the area, darker even than the one Saruman had brought about during the War of the Ring.  
It was a fitting place for an evil being to make their home.  
With much hesitation the nine entered the tower, the aura settling on them with an almost slimy feel. In the first hall stood two staircases, one going up, the other going down. The stairs going up has the faint sound of chanting emanating from them whilst the stairs going down showed a deep red glow. There was a decision they were required to make. To split up and risk being weakened or to stay together and risk taking the wrong stairs.  
In the end they split up, Percy, Annabeth, Leo, Gilraen and Elladan took the stairs going down, the others the ones going up.  
Tari hated to send Gilraen away from her, but she deemed it necessary for if she was captured by Morgoth then she did not want the younger elf to bear witness to it. Hopefully by sending her with two of the strongest demigods then she would remain safe.  
The stairs spiralled up, lit by torches with a strange green fire at set intervals, the chanting got louder the further up the stairs they travelled. As the shadows lengthened and the separate words of the chant became apparent the elves' backs stiffened almost imperceptibly. Heavy bootsteps started down towards them and Nico grabbed the frozen elves and dragged them into a dark alcove where he contorted he shadows to hide them.  
Tari turned to her brother and handed him something that could not be seen by the others, she whispered a few wold in his ear and then leapt from the alcove in front of the orcs.  
"I am here!" she cried "The Weaver's Daughter, Celebelasse Istari! Your master bade me come and so I did!"  
Elrohir made to follow her but was held back by Legolas, helpless he could only watch as she was surrounded by the orcs and marched up the stairs towards the origin of the chanting.  
….  
Descending into the bowels of the Tower of Orthanc Percy noticed the air was getting significantly warmer to accompany the red glow. The scent of burning tar filled his nostrils and a deep roar suddenly filled the air as they reached the apparent bottom of the stairs.  
Terror filled Percy's heart as he beheld the sight before him, an eight-foot-tall being, clad in flames and wielding a great flaming whip.  
"Balrog" Elladan whispered from his side, his face paling.  
"So, for those of us not in the know, what the blazes is a balrog?" Leo furiously whispered.  
"A servant of Morgoth, a creature so twisted by his magic that little is known of how they came to be." Elladan responded, Gilraen nodding aong, her face just as pale.  
"Judging by the fire it's a good thing we're here then Leo," Percy said, trying for a jovial note. "On three?"  
Leo nodded at him and Percy began a countdown on his fingers. At three he called upon the water above the to answer him and douse the creature's flames. Leo focused on the whip trying to bend it to his will and prevent it from hurting any of his friends.  
Annabeth, Gilraen and Elladan fought the orcs in the room, keeping them away from Percy and Leo as they attempted to battle the balrog.  
Percy used the water to keep the balrog from re-igniting until his nose started to bleed from the strain, looking over he could see that Leo had the same problem. They had to end the fight soon else they would pass out and take the hopes of defeating the balrog with them.  
With a final push of energy, he held the balrog still, encased in watery bonds, leaving only the neck free. He nodded at Leo and the whip suddenly moved to tighten around the neck of the creature.  
A sickening crack could be heard and suddenly the balrog drooped, its neck broken and the threat dealt with. The orcs, knowing that the battle was lost and being cowards without their leader to frighten them into compliance turned and ran, leaving the small group to regather.  
"We must head upwards," a breathless Elladan said, "Tari will be expecting us."  
…  
"We can't just leave her! We have to save her," Nico declared as soon as the orcs were out of sight and Tari with them. Elrohir just looked at him every century of his age suddenly visible in his eyes, he shook his head and held up his hand as if asking for peace.  
"There is a prophecy, an old one, that tells of the final battle, Dagor Dagorath, and he who shall defeat Morgoth once and for all, or as it turns out she. Túrin Turambar reborn or as we know her: Gilraen." Elrohir said, looking at Nico with a grave expression, "Surely you must be able to feel she is a soul reborn. A soul reborn into the only surviving branch of family Túrin has left on Arda. All we can do is help her but the killing blow must come by Gilraen's hand."  
"And that will kill this Morgoth?" Nico asked, his eyes full of worry for his sister.  
"No. But it will dissipate him into too many pieces for him to ever gain enough strength to come back." Legolas responded, hoping to reassure the boy in some small way. "Tari has a plan for how this will work. She gave it to me before allowing herself to be captured. We must follow through with it."  
Nico nodded and allowed the elf to explain.  
….  
Tari found herself in a dark room, the only light from two circles of candles on the floor, she was within one and within the other a roiling black mass.  
Against her will her hands started to move, weaving together oily black threads that sapped her energy. She was aware that this had to happen for her plan to succeed but it did not stop the violation of her free will from being any less painful. She was thankful however that the orcs who had searched her had not deemed the paper in her tunic pocket of any importance.  
They could not have been more wrong.  
The paper held the information that would allow the plan to succeed, all she could hope was that the others would do as instructed. She had told her plan to her brother and the twins and left Legolas with a written version of the plan to show Gilraen when it became necessary.  
For now, all she could do was try and slow the weaving. Try and slow the return of Morgoth to the mortal plane.  
….  
Gilraen was furious when she heard what Tari had done. Tari had promised not to sacrifice herself again and the first thing she did when she was outside the healer's supervision was exactly that.  
Part of her understood exactly why her valaramil had done as she had, but no amount of understanding could affect the betrayed way she felt. Yes, the plan was a good one, but surely if they had worked together then they could have come up with one that didn't require Tari to put herself in danger with no backup? It was evident her uncles felt the same way, they themselves had only been told of it the night before they arrived at Orthanc and were all as equally annoyed at Tari, none more so perhaps than Elrohir.  
She would play her part in the plan but when it was over Tari would pay.  
….  
As Tari collapsed within the circle, the black strings finally fading from her hands, Gilraen struck. She attacked in anger and with no regard for the plan her uncles had put together. Her sword aimed at the neck of the crouched figure in the other circle but, just before her stroke fell a sword was raised to block her. The black sword of Morgoth clanged with her own silver blade, sending a jolt through her body.  
She hastily stepped back, her sword raised in front of her face defensively. Gilraen dodged every blow sent her way, evading and trying to lead the dark lord away from her valaramil. Trying to distract the dark lord from noticing her brother shadow traveling to Tari's side ad taking her away.  
Her distraction worked. With a roar fit to rival a dragon, Morgoth turned too late to catch the escaping elf and demigod. His gritted his teeth and attacked twice as ferociously as before.  
"You will pay for that little Túrin" he taunted even as he struck again.  
"My name is Gilraen," Gilraen said, as she rolled to escape his sword, "And you will be sent back to the abyss from whence you came."  
Gilraen knew that if there was any chance of defeating Morgoth then they had to stick to the plan Tari has passed to Legolas. By now the others would be aware of it and working to make it happen, all she had to do was keep the dark lord occupied and strike the final blow.  
She summoned some energy from within her and raised her blade. With a ferocious cry Gilraen charged.  
…  
Elrohir had his arms out ready to catch Tari as Nico appeared from the shadows. He cradled her gently and held out his hand for the flask Annabeth held. He tipped some of the nectar into her mouth until her forehead started to warm. As the colour started to fade back into Tari's cheeks he propped her up until she was sat upright.  
The others gathered around, all concerned about the elf but she shooed them away with a brisk wave of her hand.  
"We don't have time for you to fuss over me, I'm fine." She beckoned to her sister, "Annabeth I need you and your steady hands."  
As Annabeth waked over Tari drew a piece of paper out from a pocket on the inside of her tunic. "You need to draw these symbols exactly on the wall there, one mistake and the ritual wont work."  
Annabeth nodded determinedly and looked around for something to draw with. Whilst she did so Tari took a dagger and made a cut on her arm.  
"You have to use my blood, for now Morgoth is weakened and still bound to me. It's the only thing that will trap him."  
Her sister's face went slightly green but she set to work, ignoring the warmth of the substance she was drawing with and ignoring the singing in the background.  
The other elves allowed Tari to sing one rendition of the song before joining in, helping to strengthen the spell that was being cast. All four elves were slowly becoming paler as they poured more energy into the spell but they kept going. Each glyph Annabeth drew started to glow with a silver light and the two demigod boys stood at the entrance fending off the orcs that were trying to get in.  
….  
Gilraen was tiring when the wall behind Morgoth began to glow a faint silver. A burst of energy forced its way through her limbs and a soft voice spoke in her head.  
"Use it well," the voice said, and in her heart Gilraen knew it to be the voice of her father.  
With a flurry of blows she pushed Morgoth back until his back brushed the wall and as he tried to move his limbs the dark valar realised he was trapped.  
"No!" he cried, disbelief evident in his tone as he struggled more furiously against the magic that held him.  
The soft, sweet sound of a song filtered through as well and Gilraen could recognise the voices of her family.  
"When I get out of here I will crush you like the maggot you are," the god roared, "I will dismember your family and make you watch until your heart is destroyed and you wish for death. But I shall not grant it to you…"  
He would have continued with his threats but Gilraen impaled her sword through his heart and grinned viscously as he started to disintegrate through the wall into the abyss.  
Exhaustion suddenly taking hold Gilraen dropped to the ground, uncaring of the rumble of a tower collapsing.  
….  
The tower rumbling underneath them the party left as quickly as they could, stumbling down the stairs, Gilraen joining them on the staircase, and out into the warm light of a new dawn. Safety being reached caused them all to sink to the ground, amazed and thankful that there had been no losses on their side.  
As son as they had all caught their breath everyone turned to face Tari with betrayed and hurt looks adorning their faces.  
"Why meleth nin?" Elrohir choked out, causing Tari to look like she wanted to clutch him tight in her arms and never let him go, "We are supposed to be a partnership, that means we come up with plans together. Do you know how much it hurt to see you so injured when Nico brought you to us?"  
The others all expressed similar sentiments, except for Gilraen. She didn't say anything and that perhaps hurt most of all.  
….  
It was a subdued group that arrived back in Rivendell, they were all still in some shock that they were still alive and most were still hurting over Tari's plan. Word of their approach had obviously been sent by a scout because they were greeted by a full host of celebrating elves.  
A surprise was waiting there for Tari and Legolas, Thranduil had travelled from the Woodland Realm to meet them and as soon as he saw them, wrapped them in a hug. The pair were led away, leaving Gilraen and her uncles to her grandfather.  
"I am proud of you all." Elrond said, gazing upon them with approval, "But why are you so sad? This is a time for celebrating."  
Elladan explained the situation and Elrond looked pensive, "What are you more upset about, the fact you were not told of the plan or that Tari put herself in danger?" he asked the three of them before holding up a hand to forestall an answer. "That is a question you can only answer in your hearts."  
Elrohir immediately raced out of the room, presumably to find Tari and Gilraen joined him, leaving her Uncle Elladan to answer any questions about their quest his father might have had.  
When she found Tari, Elrohir had already locked Tari in a passionate kiss and so she waited for them to separate before flinging herself at her. She caught Tari in a tight hug around the middle and buried her face in Tari's tunics.  
"I'm sorry, it's just… just… I could have lost you!" she wept into the cloth, relishing in the feeling of a slender hand gently stroking the back of her head.  
"Shh melui, it's alright," Tari soothed, "It was my fault and I don't blame you for your anger any more than I blame Elrohir or Legolas."  
Gilraen basked in the affection until her tears dried up, comforted by the presence of her family.  
….  
The demigods returned to Camp Half Blood, sans Tari and Gilraen. They understood why the two wished to stay behind in Middle Earth but it was still upsetting. They were given permission to visit whenever they wished and were told to look out for a special invitation at some point in the not too distant future.  
Nico was already planning on taking Hazel to visit Gilraen, as children of the death god they had to stick together after all. And if Leo wished to accompany them then he supposed he wouldn't be too upset, the son of Hephaestus and his sister deciding to remain in contact for a while before rushing into anything after all.


End file.
